Out in the Wild
by MaverickLover2
Summary: Ben Maverick had been a widower for almost forty years, but after seeing how happy and peaceful his brother Beauregard was with Maude Donovan, Ben decides to venture back out into the world of women.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Bentley Maverick was the youngest of four children. Micah was the oldest, then Beauregard, then Jessalyn, and finally Bentley. Micah was long gone from the Maverick home by the time Bentley was born, and Beauregard took his younger brother under his wing. Jessie ran away from home at fifteen and disappeared into the north, and neither brother ever saw her again.

Beauregard became a professional gambler, and Bentley followed suit. Beauregard fell in love, married, and had two sons, Bret and Bart. Bentley met Abigail Sutter and soon found himself married with a baby on the way, and both families picked up and moved to Texas. Abigail gave birth to a son, named after his Uncle Beauregard, and died not long after. Beauregard's wife Isabelle also passed, and the two brothers found themselves alone, doing their best to be both momma and daddy to their boys.

Years pass; children grow into adults, and Beauregard moved into Ben's house, where the two of them lived side by side for many years. Eventually Ben's son Beau married and fathered twins, and he and his family settled in Baton Rouge, where his wife's family lived. After many years of listening to his son plead, Bentley left Texas, moving in with Beau and his family in Louisiana.

The twins were fourteen when the three Maverick sons decided to spend a month together in Texas. Beau packed up his wife and father and their twins and went to Little Bend. Some strange things occurred, but all in all everyone had a good time. Everyone except Bentley, that is, who realized how much he missed his brother and the closeness they had.

Don't misunderstand me. Bentley enjoyed himself, but he longed for someone to share his life with. Beauregard had married his longtime companion while everyone was together, and Bentley remembered his daughter-in-law's offer to help him find a 'companion' of his own. The longer he thought about it, the more he liked the idea, and waited until his son and granddaughter were asleep before broaching the subject with Dani. They were somewhere south of Fort Worth when he plunged right in.

"Dani, remember telling me there were several ladies at church who might prove to be a suitable companion for an old man like me?"

Dani was startled for a moment, then a smile overtook her face. She'd been worried about Bentley for a while and thought that he would benefit from acquiring a 'girlfriend.' "Yes, Ben, I remember."

"Well, I think I'm ready to meet one or two."

"I think that's a wonderful idea. I'll get to work on it as soon as we get home."

Ben smiled and closed his eyes. Now he could take a nap, knowing that he'd started the wheels in motion.

1


	2. Lonely

Chapter 1 – Lonely

Unpacking didn't seem as complicated as packing, perhaps because there was one less person involved. Benny had stayed in Texas with his extended family, where he was going to spend his last year of school. That way he got to work on the ranch and try to make up his mind which he preferred – country living in Texas or city living in Baton Rouge.

Dani brought up Ben's request at supper, after Abby had finished and been excused from the table. "Beau, Ben asked me to introduce him to some of the age-appropriate church ladies."

Beau looked up from his plate. "Oh? What for?"

Ben wondered if his son was really that dumb, or if he just wasn't paying any attention. "I'm tired of bein alone, son."

Beau looked confused. "You're not alone, Pa."

"Yes, I am. You've got Dani. Beauregard's got Maude. I've got nobody."

"Well, when you put it like that . . ."

Ben wondered why Beau was having such a hard time with this. "How else should I put it, Beau?"

"I guess . . . I guess you're right, Pa. And Dani, you're going to help him?"

Dani nodded. "There are plenty of ladies at church."

"Just remember, Dani, I've been a gambler all my life. Ain't gonna pretend I was somethin' else."

"Don't worry about that, Ben. You don't have to lie or hide anything. Besides, most of the ladies at church know you were a professional gambler."

"Good. Cause I'm not goin' to hide nothin'." Ben was determined he wasn't going to spend time with someone he had to lie to.

Abby had returned to the supper table to retrieve her water and had been listening to the discussion. "Grandpa Ben, you gonna get you a girlfriend like Grandpa Beauregard did?"

"Abby, we're going to find a nice, refined lady for your grandfather to escort about town." Dani corrected her daughter.

"Aw, a girlfriend would be more fun."

Beau nodded his head. "I have to agree with Abby."

"I was thinking of Mrs. Gilchrist."

"Oh, no, mom. Mrs. Gilchrist is a stick-in-the-mud."

"Abby, that's no way to talk about your elders."

Abby giggled. "Even if it's true?"

"That's still no way to talk."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I don't think Mrs. Gilchrist could rightly appreciate my fathers, uh, finer qualities," Beau stated.

"Finer qualities?" Dani was curious just what her husband meant.

"Yes. Like his knowledge of faro. Or how to tell when someone's cheatin' at poker. Or his splendid sartorial sense. What about Mrs. Domino? She seems a little more his type." Mrs. Domino was about forty years old, flaming red hair and a body to match. Her husband had been killed when he was run down by an out-of-control carriage. It was rumored that Mrs. Domino had plenty of disposable income.

Ben was getting a visual on Mrs. Domino, and he was nodding furiously. "Mrs. Domino would be perfect."

Beau was laughing because the last person Dani would attempt to fix Ben up with was Mrs. Domino. As his wife had stated more than once, Dani thought Ben needed a 'refined' lady. Ben was looking for a woman who wanted to have a good time . . . Someone who would have a drink with him on occasion, who wouldn't try to make him into something he wasn't. He'd agreed to let Dani try and find someone for him, and he at least had to see if she could locate a woman age-appropriate. Then, if she couldn't . . . he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

"Are you coming to church with me on Sunday?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Don't seem right to stay home when you're lookin' for a friend for me. At least I can tell you 'no' if you find one that's really . . . 'unattractive.'"

"Good. I need you to be ready to go by ten o'clock." She turned her head to remind Abby that she, too, had to be ready by ten o'clock. "No excuses, Abby. Your brother's not here to keep you from being ready on time."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ben drank the last of his coffee and wondered just what he'd gotten himself into. Just because he was lonely.


	3. Flowers from Bascombs

Chapter 2 – Flowers from Bascombs

Ben was dressed and ready to leave for church on Sunday at ten o'clock, as requested. Abby did her best to be prepared, but discovered that it wasn't the interference of her brother that made her late every weekend. She was still lacing up her left shoe after they'd climbed aboard the buggy.

"Do I look alright?" Ben asked as they pulled away from the house.

Dani gave him the once over and was pleased with what she saw. Beige pants and vest, cream frock coat, and white shirt were offset by brown boots and a beige hat. Bentley looked quite prosperous, and every inch the southern gentleman. His daughter-in-law was pleased; there were several widowed ladies at church that had been asking about him for months. Ben was seventy-eight but looked at least ten years younger, with hair that was more silver than brown and dark hazel eyes. He was currently sporting a neat mustache but was otherwise clean-shaven. "You look perfect, Ben. The widows will be crawling all over you."

' _Now there's a thought,'_ ran through Ben's mind, even though he knew Dani didn't mean it literally. "Just remember, I don't guarantee I'm lookin' for a wife."

Dani sighed but nodded her head anyway. If she told any of the widows that a relationship with Ben might not lead to marriage, there would be no interest in him at all. Once married and widowed, the only objective for most of the ladies was another marriage. The women at church didn't need to know that marriage might not be on Ben Maverick's mind. "We don't need to mention marriage, Ben."

The trip went quickly, and the Maverick family took seats near the back of the church. Reverend Wingate's sermon was on loving your neighbors, and the service was over within the hour. This Sunday the ladies auxiliary provided coffee and deserts on the church porch afterward. It was the perfect opportunity to introduce Ben to several of the unmarried ladies, and Dani took full advantage of it. The only problem was Ben didn't seem interested in any of the women that seemed interested in him.

There was the aforementioned Mrs. Gilchrist; Ben pronounced her 'too old.' Mrs. Murphy was too fat. Mrs. Walters almost qualified; Ben stood and talked to her for five minutes before dismissing her as 'too boring.' Mrs. Domino wasn't at church today. Dani was about to give up when she saw Mrs. Harris hurrying across the lawn with a brand new bundt cake.

"Who's that?" Ben asked.

Mrs. Harris was a relatively new member. Somewhere in her early fifties, she was tall and trim, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. She seemed to smile easily and had a lilting laugh. _'Paydirt!'_ Dani thought. She grabbed Ben's hand and guided him over to Mrs. Harris. "My, that cake looks awfully good," she remarked while maneuvering Ben into position."Mrs. Harris, I'd like you to meet my father-in-law, Ben Maverick. He's a widower and lives here in Baton Rouge with us. Ben, this is Elsibeth Harris, she just moved from Houston not long ago."

Dani didn't give Ben a chance to change his mind about meeting Mrs. Harris . . . she scurried away and went looking for Abby. Twenty minutes later Ben found both of the Maverick ladies sitting in the buggy, talking about the start of the school year and finishing their coffee and goodies. There was a slight smile on his face.

"Well, Ben, what do you think of Mrs. Harris?"

"Mrs. Harris? Is that who you introduced Grandpa to, Mom? Mrs. Harris is our new teacher."

"Oops." That was Ben's lone remark.

"Why the oops, Ben?"

"Because I'm takin' her to dinner tomorrow night."

XXXXXXXX

"How did you get wrapped up with the new schoolteacher, Pa?"

Ben and Beau were on the back porch, smoking cigars. It was Sunday evening, and they'd just finished supper. Mrs. Harris had become the topic of conversation. "She was the only decent one of the bunch Dani was tryin' to introduce me to."

"What about Mrs. Gilchrist?"

"Too old."

"Mrs. Murphy?"

"Exceedingly plump."

"Mrs. Walters?"

"Boring."

"Mrs. Domino?"

"Not there."

"I see the problem you were having."

"Elsibeth Harris seems to be an interesting lady. She's bright and funny, and good lookin' don't near begin to describe her. And she's real easy to talk to. So I asked if I could take her to dinner tomorrow, and she said yes."

"Where are you gonna take her?" Beau asked.

"I was thinkin' about the Cattlemen's Club. Just in case she don't like steak, they've got some real good fish dishes on the menu."

"What does Abby think about you seein' her teacher?"

Ben chortled. "She wasn't real happy at first . . . then she decided it would be alright, as long as I was a gentleman."

"We'll get the buggy cleaned tomorrow. Might as well look the best you can."

"Thanks, son. Where's that place you get flowers for Dani?"

"Oh yeah, Bascombs. They're down on Seventh and Waterfront. Better go down there in the morning to see what they've got. I'll take care of the buggy. Did you find out where she lives?"

"Yeah. That boarding house on Montgomery Street. The one for women only. I told her I'd pick her up at six o'clock."

Beau grinned. This sounded more like the father he knew than he'd heard in a long time. Ben had been quiet and withdrawn, spending day after day by himself, not even playing poker. The only time he had come alive was the month they spent in Texas. To see Ben interested in something, someone, made Beau happy that there was once again a smile on his father's face. He reached for another cigar, offering one to his father first. Ben shook his head and stood up.

"No thanks, son. I've got a lot to do tomorrow. Think I'm gonna head for bed and try to get a good night's sleep. See you in the morning."

"Good night, Pa."


	4. Mrs Harris and Mr Maverick

Chapter 4 – Mrs. Harris and Mr. Maverick

Ben stood in front of the boarding house on Montgomery Street and realized that he had butterflies in his stomach. _'This is ridiculous,'_ he thought. _'I'm seventy-eight years old. I should be able to handle this.'_ 'Mrs. Bradley's Boarding House for Women,' the sign read, and he made himself walk up to the front door and ring the bell. A plumb woman about Ben's age answered the door and smiled at him.

"Mr. Maverick?" she inquired. He nodded, and she continued. "Mrs. Harris told me you'd be coming for her. She's in the parlor waiting for you. Won't you please come in?" She held the door open wide and, once he was inside, led him down three stairs and into the parlor. "Mrs. Harris, Mr. Maverick is here."

He took a good look at her as she extended her hand. The dress she had on at church on Sunday really didn't do her justice. She had a beautiful figure, tall and slim, almost athletic looking. Her brown hair was plaited into a long braid, then wrapped around her head, and her eyes were even bluer than they'd been on Sunday. Perhaps it was the dark blue dress that she wore, cut low but still modest, with long sleeves that accented the length of her arms. He bowed slightly and kissed the back of her hand, then presented her with the flowers he'd brought.

"These are for you. I thought they were as lovely as you are. I was wrong."

"Why thank you, Mr. Maverick. They are beautiful. They must be from Bascombs. They're the only one I know that makes such elegant bouquets."

' _Glad I went to Bacombs.'_ "Please call me Ben, or Bentley. Although I'm not sure if I would answer to Bentley anymore, it's been so long since my brother Beauregard used my full name."

"Alright, Ben it shall be, as long as you call me Ellie. If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm going to ask Mrs. Bradley to put these in water for me."

"Of course."

She was gone just a minute and returned with the bouquet in an elegant glass vase, which she set on the table in the parlor. "Would you like to sit and talk for a few minutes?"

"Do you mind? We can talk at dinner or after. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

"That's fine with me. Might I ask where we're going?"

Ben grinned. That was a good sign. "To the Cattlemen's Club. Their steaks are outstanding, and they have excellent fish on the menu, too. As long as that's alright with you?" He offered his arm to escort her.

Ellie smiled and put her arm through his. "That's perfect. There's nothing like a good steak."

XXXXXXXX

Ben was tickled to discover two things about Ellie . . . she wasn't what he called a 'bird'

eater, who picked at their food but left half of it on their plate, and she ate her steak the same way Ben did . . .medium rare.

He found her surprisingly easy to talk to. Maybe it was the experience she'd had talking to children and their parents. She'd been a teacher for twenty years and still enjoyed it, and had as many stories to tell about school as Ben did about poker. It didn't seem to bother her one bit that he'd been a gambler his whole life and she understood enough about the game to make sense of the things he told her.

They drank wine with dinner and coffee afterward, and she offered a glass of brandy back at the parlor. He agreed, and they were on their way to the boarding house when a drive in the buggy on a beautiful night sounded like a better idea. They drove down towards the Mississippi River and sat in the moonlight and watched the paddlewheel boats run up and down the river for a while; they talked about quieter things. Her husband, his wife. She had one daughter, married and still living in Houston, named Florence, and two grandsons. He told her about Beau and Dani, and their twins, and the rest of the family in Little Bend.

Soon it was time to go, and they headed the buggy back to the boarding house. "It' a little late now for that brandy. Perhaps some other time?" Ellie asked.

"That's a splendid idea," Ben enthused. "What about Friday night? And do you like Creole food?"

"Friday night would be wonderful, and I've not had Creole food before. But I'd love to try it."

"Good. Six o'clock again?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes, that's a good time. Six o'clock it is."

Ben pulled up to the boarding house. The lights were on in the parlor, and he walked around the buggy and helped Ellie down, then escorted her to the front door.

"I had a wonderful time. You have had some fascinating adventures."

"You've had just as many inside that schoolhouse." He kissed the back of her hand, then her cheek, and held the door open for her.

"I'll see you Friday, Ben."

"I look forward to it, Ellie."

Once she was inside with the door closed, he walked back to the buggy, whistling. It had been an enjoyable evening. Not like being in the middle of a casino with the winning poker hand, but then he wasn't thirty-five years old anymore, either. All in all, he'd be happy to repeat it.

He got home and turned the buggy over to the livery. He was still whistling as he walked in the house. That didn't last long, though, as he could hear raised voices in the bedroom at the end of the hall – Dani and Beau's voices. He tried not to pay any attention, but it was hard not to hear them. He didn't know that Dani even knew that kind of language.

It wasn't what he thought, however. It seems they were arguing about Benny and his year-long stay in Little Bend.

' _I'm not gettin' into that one,'_ he thought. _'One battle at a time.'_

He walked down the hall quietly and slipped into his bedroom and closed the door. The husband and wife could barely be heard with the door shut. He undressed carefully and hung his clothes up, then slid into bed. He was tired; despite the noise coming from the far bedroom, he fell asleep easily.


	5. Whistling Dixie

Chapter 3 – Whistling Dixie

Monday practically flew by; the first order of business was going to Bascombs for flowers for Elsibeth Harris. She seemed to be the type of woman (ahem, lady) that would enjoy receiving flowers, and Ben wanted to get just the right bunch. He didn't know what kind they were, but they came in a dazzling array of pinks and purples, and he thought they were beautiful.

Next was seeing to it that he got a shave and a haircut from Maxwell, just down the street from Beau's house. Max always did a good job on his hair, keeping it neat and tailored to Ben's personality. Not too long and not too short, showing off the silver in it and the fact that Ben had more hair than men half his age. There was no baldness in the Maverick family.

Next was a bath, and that was still a luxury, because there was a 'bath room' in the Maverick house. No more going out to a bathhouse to wash off the dirt and grime of the city, Beau had converted one of the unused bedrooms into a room with a tub and a stove for heating bathwater. Dani kept the room well-stocked with towels and all sorts of soaps; there was no excuse for 'smelling like a steer,' as the lady of the house put it. It was such a pleasure to take a bath with plenty of hot water and no one waiting outside the door for you to finish, that Ben very often fell asleep in the tub. He wasn't the only one.

Last but not least, there was the matter of his clothes. The entire Maverick clan, at least the male side of it, had always been what the general populace would call 'dandies.' Even Ben's nephew Bart had finally learned to take care of his clothes. Ben laid out his clothes ahead of time, just to make sure he had everything he needed. A dark navy frock coat, light gray pants, a navy and silver vest, finished off with a white ruffled shirt and a navy tie. His boots were black, polished until there was a shine on them, and a dark gray hat.

When he came out of his bedroom a little before five-thirty, Abby whistled at him. Dani was horrified. "Abigail Maverick, young ladies do not whistle. Who taught you that?"

Abby giggled. "Daddy."

Beau had come home early; just to be sure everything was taken care of for his father's big night. He was currently sitting in his favorite armchair, hiding behind today's paper. "Beauregard." He immediately knew he was in trouble; Dani never called him Beauregard. He ignored his wife as long as he could. "Beauregard, did you teach Abigail to whistle?" Not getting an answer, Dani walked across the room and stood in front of her husband with her hands on her hips, until he was forced to surrender and lower the paper.

"Yes, dear?" he asked innocently.

"Did you teach Abigail to whistle?"

"Yes, dear, I did."

"Why, in God's name? Young ladies do not whistle."

"There's a difference between not whistling and not knowing how to whistle, dear."

"Yes, there is. And you're not answering me."

"Alright. I taught her to whistle because whistling carries further than the human voice. I thought if she ever got in trouble, her whistle could be heard a lot farther than her voice. She had a better chance of attracting help."

"Well, why didn't you just tell me that?"

Beau almost opened his mouth and told Dani what he was he was thinking. ' _Because it was more fun watching you get all worked up over nothing,'_ Fortunately, he stopped himself in time. He wasn't angry or upset with Dani; it was just that he didn't understand why she had to make everything so difficult. And why she was so insistent that she know every answer for every question that occurred to her. Sometimes being married to her was exhausting. "I just did."

Having gotten her answer to the unanswerable question, Dani turned her attention back on her daughter. "Did you hear what your father said, Abigail?"

"Yes, mother." It was a good thing Dani couldn't see her daughter's face, because Abby rolled her eyes.

"So you understand that you're not supposed to whistle unless there's an emergency?"

"Yes, mother."

On her way out of the room, Dani called over her shoulder, "You look very nice, Ben."

Abby took a seat in the chair next to her father. "Daddy, why do you let mother do that?"

"Do what, honey?" He held the paper in his lap and gave his full attention to his daughter.

"Treat you like you're a child instead of her husband?"

"Abby . . . "

His daughter reached over and took one of his hands. He looked so sad. "She does, Daddy, and you know it. Why does she do that?"

"Abby . . . "

From out of the corner of the room, he heard his father's voice. "Your daughter's right, Beau. Dani treats you like she had triplets instead of twins. I guess I never paid much attention before, but it's been goin' on for a while. And you don't do a dang thing to stop it."

"I don't think she even knows she's doin' it, Pa. When she's got a question, she wants an answer. It's easier than arguing with her. I found that out a while ago." There was a wistfulness in Beau's voice; a sadness, like he'd lost something precious a while back and didn't know how to get it back.

"It's gotta stop, son, or someday she's gonna go too far and she'll push you right out that door."

Beau shook his head. "I know you're right, Pa. I just don't know what to do about it."

The clock on the wall chimed forty-five past the hour. Ben picked up his hat and the flowers from Bascombs. "I'm sorry, son, I have to go. Maybe we can continue this tomorrow at lunch? Say noon, at Henry Jones?"

"Sure, Pa. Sounds good. Go, have a good time. Don't let this affect you. We'll talk tomorrow."

The door closed behind Ben and he was gone. Abby turned to her father. "Did you mean it, daddy? Are you gonna try to talk to mother?"

"As soon as I figure out just what to say."

Abby reached across the chairs and kissed her father on the cheek. "I love you, daddy."

"I know you do, sweetheart."


	6. Henry Jones

Chapter 5 – Henry Jones

It was quiet as could be the next morning, and Ben slept in until almost ten o'clock. When he got up he slipped on a robe and went downstairs to find some coffee. He found that, and he found his granddaughter, sitting at the kitchen table.

"Hello, beautiful," he told Abby as he kissed her on the forehead. "Any coffee left?"

"Lots of it, grandpa. How was your date last night?"

"Good. We're goin' out again Friday. What was the name of that Creole place we all went to two or three weeks ago?"

"Gisele's Creole Cuisine. Do you remember where it is?"

Ben nodded as he poured a cup of coffee. "Where's your mother this morning?"

"I'm sure she went out to buy some new clothes this morning, after last night."

"You mean the fight?"

Abby looked like she was about to cry. "Mother was throwing things at one point. I bet Katherine had a lot of cleaning to do in there this morning." Katherine was the Maverick's longtime maid.

"Any idea what started it?"

"It was my fault."

"Your fault, angel? I doubt that."

Abby lowered her head as a tear slipped out. "It was, grandpa. I said I missed Benny, and it just set momma off."

"Your mother agreed to let him go," Ben remembered it quite distinctly. The whole family had been in the parlor talking when Benny expressed a desire to spend time in Texas at the ranch. Beau said it sounded like a good idea, and he would ask Bret and Bart if they had room for him. Dani was sitting right there listening to everything, and she agreed that her son could go if the cousins gave approval on their end.

"But she didn't agree to let him go for the full year. That's the problem. She wants him to come home at Christmas, and Daddy says no. The idea was for him to stay the whole year and finish his schooling in Texas; he insists Mother agreed to it."

Ben had to think about that. Did Beau mention being gone for the whole year or not? He honestly couldn't remember. One thing he was sure of, however . . . the time to discuss Benny's length of stay in Texas was before they left Texas, not after they got home.

"Do you remember, Grandpa?"

He had to shake his head on that one. "No, Abby, I truly don't. How about you?"

In a very small voice, his granddaughter answered. "Daddy brought up the whole year. Momma wasn't payin' any attention, and she said yes."

Ben poured himself another cup of coffee and sipped it. "Well, they'll work it out."

"Before or after Momma breaks every dish in the house?"

"Before, I hope. Were you up when your father left for the office?"

"I was," and a big smile appeared on Abby's face. "He kissed me and told me to remind you about Henry Jones at noon. Then I told him I needed a new pair of shoes for school and he said we could go look for some tonight. School starts next week."

"I know. Mrs. Harris told me. Are you glad to be goin' back?"

Abby gave an exaggerated shrug. "I might as well, with Benny gone."

Ben set his empty coffee cup in the sink and kissed Abby on the head. "I'm goin' to get ready, angel. I'll see you later."

"Okay, Grandpa."

XXXXXXXX

By the time Ben was shaved and dressed it was eleven thirty. Just enough time to walk to Henry Jones, since he assumed Dani had the buggy this morning. He got to the café just as Beau arrived; they were both a little early. "Ah, the Mavericks," Henri greeted them, and took them to a table that was rather secluded.

"Thank you, Henri," Beau said as they were seated. Beau did a great deal of business with the café, and he made sure that Henri received a generous stipend every month.

"Coffee, gentlemen?" Louisa was their regular waitress.

"Yes, please," Ben answered.

"Bring me a whiskey, Louisa. No, make it a double, please."

Ben looked sideways at his son. "Was it that bad last night?"

"Did you hear any of it?"

The father nodded. "Just the yelling part. Abby said there was dish throwing, too. I missed that."

Louisa brought their beverage of choice and quietly slipped off for a few minutes of privacy.

Beau drank about half of his whiskey before he put the glass down. "She's got me so messed up I can't think anymore, Pa. If I do something this week it's fine, but by the time we get to next week, it's not fine. She changes her mind constantly. Benny told me if he couldn't go stay with his cousins in Texas for a while he was gonna run away. Dani said fine, he could go and spend the year there, then she conveniently forgets that she said okay and wants him home for Christmas. No wonder the poor kid had to leave. You heard her the other night. Even my own daughter doesn't understand why I get treated that way. Short of leaving her, what do I do, Pa? I love the woman, but I can't take much more."

"When was the last time she saw the doctor, Beau? I think the first thing you should do is persuade her to make an appointment. There could be something seriously wrong with her."

"I never thought about that, Pa. You really think there might be somethin' wrong?"

"Only one way to find out, Beau. But you can't make her feel like she should have gone to the doctor before now. She's changed over the last few weeks, and you're just concerned about her health."

"And what if there's nothin' wrong?"

"Then we have another lunch and figure out just what to say to her."

Beau breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Pa. I would never have thought about a visit to the doctor. I just hope there's nothin' serious wrong with her."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, son. Dani might be perfectly fine."

"I cleared my appointments for this afternoon, so I can go talk to her now."

"She wasn't there when I left for lunch."

Beau finished his drink and set the empty glass down as Louisa approached the table. "Are you ready to order, Mr. Maverick?"

"I'll have the lobster bisque, and half a club sandwich," Ben ordered.

"And you, Mr. Maverick?" as she turned to Beau.

"I'll have the steak sandwich, Louisa . . . and bring me a cup of coffee."

"Coming right up, sir."

"I'll walk home with you, Pa, and see what Dani's bought this time. Maybe I can persuade her to see the doctor right away."

"Just be gentle, Beau. There ain't no need to aggravate the woman."


	7. An Unexpected Diagnosis

Chapter 6 – An Unexpected Diagnosis

Father and son returned to the house on Edgerton Street, and Ben went straight to his room. Beau hemmed and hawed around for almost ten minutes before he could work up the courage to go to his and Dani's bedroom, hoping to find his wife. He considered himself unlucky when he found her sitting on the bed, examining something that she'd just bought. She looked up, startled to see him in the middle of the day. "What are you doing home this time of day?"

"Well . . . I was worried about you, and I couldn't put off talking to you any longer."

"Worried about me? Why?"

Beau sat on the bed next to Dani. "Honey, you haven't been yourself for quite a while. You forget things, you get upset over things that never used to bother you, and you treat me . . . you treat me like I'm one of the kids instead of your husband."

Dani, being much calmer than she had been the night before, asked him quietly, "Have I really been that bad?"

"How much pottery did you break last night?"

She looked around the room and had to admit things were missing that had been there the night before. A statue her mother had given her, a favorite lamp, two vases that sat on the dresser, a pitcher with fresh water and the plate it sat on, and those were just the things she immediately missed.

"More than you thought?"

"Uh . . . yes."

"Why, Dani? What made you so mad that you broke all those things?"

She shook her head, unable at that exact moment to give him an answer. She leaned towards him and rested her head on his shoulder. That was followed by a huge sigh. "I don't know. I haven't felt good for weeks."

"What's wrong?"

"My head hurts," she murmured. "And my stomach hurts. And no matter how much sleep I get, it isn't enough."

"When was the last time you saw the doctor?"

"I . . . I don't know. A long time ago."

"Dani, I think we better get you to see Dr. Hennessey. Would you let me take you now?"

"Why, so he can tell me I'm sick? I don't want to go."

"And what if it's something important? And you should have seen the doctor?"

He got up and headed for the bedroom door. "I'm going to get the buggy. You stay right there."

Fifteen minutes later he was back, with the buggy waiting. Beau strode through the house and found Dani sitting on the bed, right where he left her. He picked her up and carried her to the front door, where he was stopped by Abby. "Daddy, what's wrong with Momma?"

"I don't know, Abby. She doesn't feel well, and I'm takin' her to see Dr. Hennessey."

"Can I come with you?"

"We're leaving right now."

"I'm ready." She opened the front door and closed it when her father carried her mother to the buggy.

"Beau put me down. I'm not that sick."

Beau set her down gently on the front seat of the buggy. "It's faster this way." He watched Abby scramble into the back seat while he climbed in the front and took the reins. "Hang on, we're on our way."

Dr. Hennessey was less than two miles away, and they were there in just a few minutes. Dani glared at Beau and told him, "Don't you dare pick me up. I can walk."

There were no patients in the clinic so Dani could be seen right away. Beau and Abby took seats in the waiting room and waited to hear something. When an hour had passed and there was still no word, they began to get worried. When the door finally swung open and she emerged into the waiting room, she was pale and looked dazed. She walked right past her family and straight to the buggy, as if in shock. Beau and Abby came hurrying outside and climbed in; Dani sat in the front seat and didn't make a sound. They were halfway home before anyone spoke. "Did Dr. Hennessey know what'sbeen bothering you, sweetheart?"

Dani turned her head to look at Beau, and slowly, ever so slowly, a tiny smile spread across her face. "Uh-huh," she murmured. Dani seemed so distracted that Beau pulled over and waited for her to tell him. Nothing prepared him for the words she spoke. "We're going to have a baby."

"Wh-wh-wh-what?" her husband stammered.

"You heard me. We're going to have a baby."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, Beauregard."

"Oh, my. A baby."

XXXXXXXX

Dani and Abby just couldn't quit talking about the baby, while Beau remained in stone-cold silence. After all these years of waiting and praying for another child, he'd finally given up any hope of being a father again. And now, when it least appeared that any more Maverick babies were in the cards for their branch of the family, a miracle!

Wait until he told his father! Or did Ben already know? Is that why he'd suggested that Beau take Dani to the doctor, to see if there was something wrong with her? Well, his father had been right, there was something wrong with her. Only this malady was the most delightful of ailments . . . another baby.

He dropped Dani and Abby off at the front door and returned the buggy to the livery. By the time he'd walked the few short steps back to the house, he was on the verge of bursting. Once inside, the yelling commenced. Only this time it was Beau shouting, "Pa! Where are you, Pa! I have to talk to you!" It took a minute or two, but Ben came running.

"What is it, Beau? What's wrong?" Before his son could answer, Ben remembered what they'd left the house for. "Oh, dear, Beau, how bad is she? What's wrong with her?"

"Nothin', Pa! Not a damn thing. She's gonna be a mother! We're havin' a baby! I'm gonna be a daddy again!" And he grabbed his father's hands and whirled him around in a circle, spinning faster and faster until they both fell down, laughing.

When Ben finally quit laughing, he sat up straight and looked Beau in the eyes. "Well, that certainly explains the mood swings and everything else that's been going on, doesn't it? Congratulations, son. Any idea when?"

"You know, I forgot to ask. Come on, let's get up and we'll go find out." Beau stood and helped his father up; together they went downstairs to the kitchen, where he found Dani telling Katherine about the pregnancy.

"Honey, I forgot to ask, when is this little darlin' gonna be born?"

"March or April, near as Dr. Hennessey can figure." Dani turned to her husband and smiled. "You know what this means, don't you?"

Beau shook his head. He was clueless.

"I'm going to have to buy all new baby things. Including furniture. And we'll need to set up a nursery."

Abby squealed with delight. "It's going to be wonderful! A new baby. I can't wait."

"Neither can I," Beau agreed.

' _I wonder if I'll have to move out,'_ Ben thought, counting bedrooms.


	8. Pleasant Dreams

Chapter 7 – Pleasant Dreams

The telegram came the next day. Bret picked it up when he went into town for supplies, and he probably could have been heard all the way into Claytonville. ' _Proud to announce another Maverick coming into this world. Abby and Benny will have a brother or sister come spring. The parents to be are thrilled.'_

"Well, I'll be damned. Beau's finally gonna get that baby he wanted so bad."

He couldn't wait to get back to the B Bar M and let everyone know. Ginny and Doralice were both envious that it wasn't them and sad at the same time. Belle wondered what it was like to have a baby. Maudie was glad she wasn't pregnant. Gracie wasn't yet old enough to understand the very concept of being pregnant. And Lily Beth was still a baby herself.

"Beau must be thrilled," Bart remarked when he heard the news. "He's been wantin' that third child for a long time."

"You notice how long it took to send the telegram. One whole day," Pappy pointed out. "I'd say he's pretty happy."

"Sounds that way," Bret took the high road out of the conversation. "He was really gloomy, thinkin' about no more babies.''

"He'll be gloomy again when he has to go back to changin' diapers." Pappy seemed sure of that.

"Don't look so unhappy, Brother Bart."

"I envy him," Bart replied. "I'd like to have another one."

"You might like to, but I'll bet you Doralice is finished."

"Probably so, Brother Bret. Probably so."

Bret took Benny aside and broke the news to him. He seemed really happy about it; his mom and dad had been trying to have another child for a long, long time. Bart went into town later in the week and sent a telegram congratulating Beau and Dani. Doralice wrote a letter to the happy couple, and Belle wrote a letter to Abby.

XXXXXXXX

Ben arrived at the boarding house just like before, bringing another bouquet from Bascombs. Ellie thanked him for the flowers and then told him he didn't have to do that every time they went out, it would get too expensive. "But you like them," Ben protested.

"I do like them; I will admit as much. But you don't need to spend your money on them. I don't need to be bribed, Ben, I enjoy your company."

"That's nice to know, but they weren't meant as a bribe. I just wanted to bring you something as elegant as you are."

Ellie smiled all the way up to her eyes, then she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. It's been a long time since I was called elegant."

"Are you hungry tonight? The Creoles don't skimp on the food they bring you."

"Yes sir, I am. I spent the afternoon working on the first week's lesson plan and forgot to eat lunch."

"Good. And I'd like to order a bottle of wine. Would that be alright with you?" They hadn't discussed drinking on their first evening out.

"That will be perfectly fine, Ben. I'll leave that to you, but I prefer sweet bubbly wines."

Ben chuckled a little as he helped her with her shawl. "That, Ellie, is the perfect match for Creole food, which tends to be a bit spicy. By the way, I have some news. My son told me earlier in the week that he and Dani will be making me a grandfather again."

Ellie got a big smile on her face. "Congratulations! I take it they're pleased with the news."

Ben smiled and bobbed his head. "They always wanted another child, especially Beau, and it just never happened. They're both thrilled. And Abby is just beside herself. Haven't heard anything from Benny yet, but knowing that boy as I do, he's probably jumpin' through the ceiling. He wanted a younger sibling, and he's finally gonna get one." Ben offered his arm, and Ellie took it. "Shall we?"

"Yes, sir, we shall."

Gisele's Creole Cuisine was a bit further, almost across town, and it took them about thirty minutes to get there. Fortunately Ben had gone by earlier in the week and made a reservation with the maître d. He'd spoken with the chef and had the menu all laid out, including the wine, which was, indeed, of the sweet, bubbly variety.

"Will you trust me to order? I've got the dinner all picked out, and unless you don't like shrimp or andouille sausage, we should be alright."

"Of course I'll trust you. I wouldn't know what to order anyway."

The waiter brought their wine and when Ellie tasted it she was pleased with Ben's choice. They sat for about fifteen minutes, drinking wine and talking until the waiter brought out Creole Shrimp and Okra, which was almost soup like. That was followed by Creole Shrimp Jambalaya, and dessert was Butter Pecan Bread Pudding with Cream Cheese Glaze. Ellie took two bites of the bread pudding and had to put down her fork. "If I eat another bite I'll burst," she declared.

"I know, I feel the same way. This isn't the kind of food you can eat very often."

"And I promised you brandy after dinner."

Ben smiled. "We can always do it next time."

Ellie appeared pleased. "I've only got tomorrow, Ben. I have to be home early for school on Sunday night."

He thought for a minute. "I've got an idea. Why don't I pick you up early Sunday . . . say three o'clock, and we'll take the buggy out and have a picnic. That way I can get you home early and we can have that glass of brandy."

"That's a terrific idea. The first week of school will be hectic, and that gives me all day Saturday to make sure I have the lesson plans in order."

"Alright, Sunday at three it is. Now, do you think you can walk?"

"Only with some help." Ben paid for dinner and helped Ellie out of her chair. They walked to the front door and he helped her into the buggy, then got in himself and drove back to the boarding house. "Would you like to come into the parlor for a cup of coffee? Mrs. Bradley said she would have a fresh pot made."

"I think coffee would hit the spot, Ellie," and he helped her down and escorted her in. They found Mrs. Bradley in the parlor reading and she offered to leave the room. "Don't do that, Mrs. Bradley. Stay here with us and have some coffee."

The three sat and drank coffee for about thirty minutes, talking about the beautiful weather they'd been having. When Ben finished his second cup of coffee he got up to go home, told Mrs. Bradley good evening, and walked with Ellie to the front door. "That was awfully nice of you, including Mrs. Bradley in the conversation."

"I'm sure she gets lonely, and she seems like a nice woman. No reason not to include her." He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "Another wonderful evening, Ellie. I look forward to Sunday afternoon. Don't forget, dress casually."

"I shall. Thank you, Ben. I'll see you Sunday." Once Ben had driven away, Ellie closed the door and returned to the parlor. She found Mrs. Bradley smiling.

"What a lovely gentlemen. So kind and thoughtful."

"Yes, isn't he though? Well, goodnight, Mrs. Bradley. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, goodnight Ellie, dear. Pleasant dreams."

' _I know who I'll be dreaming about,'_ Ellie thought as she made her way down the hall to her room. ' _And he is a lovely gentleman.'_


	9. Kittens

Chapter 8 – Kittens

The next morning Ellie was up early, and she found she wasn't the only one. Mrs. Bradley already had the coffee done and was in the process of scrambling eggs when Ellie joined her in the kitchen. "Can I help?" she asked.

"Aren't you sweet?" Mrs. Bradley asked. "No, dear, I just made some eggs early because I was hungry, but there's more than enough here for two. I'll get the eggs and you get the coffee, and we can sit and relax for a while."

"I'd like that," Ellie responded. She put the coffee and cups on the tray and carried it into the dining room; Mrs. Bradley followed with two plates containing eggs and a rewarmed biscuit leftover from Friday. There was already a small amount of butter and peach jam in bowls on the table. "You were expecting someone?"

"Yes, dear. I'm always expecting someone; I just never know who it will be."

"You're the best, Mrs. Bradley."

"Now, Ellie, how many times have I told you to call me Marjorie?"

"Yes, Mrs. . . Marjorie."

"So, where did you meet Mr. Maverick?"

"I met Ben at church. His daughter-in-law introduced us."

"He's not from Louisiana, is he?"

"No, ma'am. He's from Texas."

"He seems like a very nice man. Like I said last night, a real gentleman. Has he got family here?"

Ellie nodded. "A grown son, his daughter-in-law, and twin grandchildren. Oh, and another one on the way."

"Is he retired?"

"As far as I know. We're going on a picnic early Sunday afternoon."

"You really like him, don't you?"

Ellie finished her coffee and smiled at Marjorie. "I do. He's bright, and funny, and he's had an interesting life."

"You two seem to be good together."

"It's easy to be with him."

"Ellie, it's probably none of my business, but have you thought about a life with him?"

"Oh no, Marjorie. It's too early for that. We're just having a good time together."

She wouldn't admit it, but the thought of a life with Ben Maverick had done more than just cross her mind. She knew it was too soon to be thinking that way, but that didn't stop her. Marjorie asked her something else, but she really didn't hear the question; she was too busy thinking about the possibility of a life with Ben. And she wondered . . . was he thinking about a life with her?

XXXXXXXX

"Dani, have you got a minute?" Ben had found Dani in the kitchen, having a sandwich, and he wanted to discuss something with her.

"Sure, Ben. How about some lunch?"

"No, I'm really not hungry. But I could drink some tea if we've got it."

"Of course we do, Ben," Katherine told him as she poured a glass. "I'll be out in back with Abby if you need anything."

"Now, what was it that you needed, Ben?" Dani questioned.

"Well, a couple things, actually. What are you gonna do about a nursery for the wee one? Are you gonna want my room back?"

"Oh, goodness no, Ben. Beau's already talked about that. He wants to have a nursery built in the backyard, something that connects to our bedroom. He's already got Arthur at the office drawing up plans. This is your home. We'd never ask you to give up your bedroom."

Ben breathed a sigh of relief. At least there was one thing he didn't have to worry about. That made his second question easier to ask. "I'm taking Ellie Harris out for a picnic early Sunday afternoon. Can you help me decide what to take?"

"Of course, Ben. Anything special you have in mind?"

"Well, some fried chicken, but beyond that, I don't have a clue. Any suggestions?"

"I've got some ideas. Let me talk to Katherine, and I'll get back to you."

"Thanks, Dani. By the way, congratulations."

A big smile crossed Dani's face. "Thanks. It's been a long time coming."

"If you're half as excited as Beau is, this baby won't lack for love."

"I guarantee you. I am." Dani finished her sandwich and pushed her plate away. "So tell me, how are you and Mrs. Harris getting along?"

"Really, better than I had any right to expect. Ellie's a wonderful woman. She's warm and funny, and she has the patience of a saint. And I think she must be a fantastic teacher, because she listens, really listens. You couldn't have introduced me to a better person. It's been most pleasant, spending time with her. I'm lookin' forward to seein' her as much as possible."

"I'm happy to hear that. One can never be certain how things will work out when you introduce two people and hope for the best. But she seemed so right for you, and I'm glad."

Ben got up from the table, taking his tea with him. "I'm going outside to see Abby. I'll send Katherine back in. Thanks for the help with the picnic basket." Ben went outside and Katherine returned to the kitchen; he took the rocker on the back porch that Katherine had occupied. Abby was sitting in the shade, looking through a brochure about women's colleges. She put it away when her grandfather sat down next to her.

"How did you know, grandpa?"

"Know what, angel?"

"That momma was gonna have a baby. Isn't that why you had daddy take her to the doctor?"

"I didn't know, Abby, I just guessed. And it turned out to be a good guess. Beau told me that's the way she acted when she was gonna have you and your brother. Only thing is, it had been so long since the two of you were born that they'd both forgotten. I just had a hunch."

"So what are they gonna do for a nursery?"

"Seem's your daddy's already workin' on that. He's gonna have a nursery built off their bedroom. So I get to keep my room. And junior will have a brand new bedroom."

"That's great, grandpa. We'll be even closer than we are now. Is Momma gonna make Benny come home before the school year's over?"

"Nothin's been said so far. I guess we just have to wait and see, won't we?"

Abby shook her head. "I hope not. Benny's been lookin' forward to stayin' in Texas for the whole year."

"Benny doesn't want to work for your father?"

"Father doesn't want to work for father."

"He wants to own a saloon again, doesn't he?" Ben asked.

"Yes."

"What do you think about that?"

"I don't see any problem with it."

"And your mother?"

"I think Momma would have kittens instead of a baby. But if that's what Daddy wants, he should be able to have a saloon."

"I agree with you, Abby."

"Think we can convince Mom?"

"Depends on how many kittens you want in the house."


	10. Perfect

Chapter 9 – Perfect

Ben pulled the buggy to a halt in front of Mrs. Bradley's, but before he could get down and knock on the door, Ellie came running out to greet him. "Marjorie is taking a nap, and I didn't want you to wake her," she explained. "She didn't sleep well last night."

"Is she alright?" Ben was concerned, Mrs. Bradley had been so nice to both him and Ellie.

"She seems to be. Just couldn't sleep." She climbed on board the buggy before Ben could get down to help, and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm so happy you're here. I couldn't wait for church to be over today."

"Looking forward to tomorrow?" Monday was the first day of school.

"I always look forward to a new year. Old faces coming back, new little ones to fill in the blank spots, a brand new start for everyone, even me."

"You really do love it, don't you?" Ben asked as they drove along the busy streets of Baton Rouge.

"Yes, I do. It's one of the great joys of my life." She opened up the satchel that she carried. "I brought a bottle of wine I thought you might like."

"Good. I forgot one, so your thoughtfulness is welcome. I did bring glasses. I don't know what I thought we were gonna drink." Ben gave a little laugh. He'd been so determined to get everything else perfect that he'd forgotten the wine.

"See there? We work well together. I forgot the glasses!" And Ellie smiled like a schoolgirl.

Ben drove them north of Baton Rouge, along the Mississippi River, until they escaped the noise of the city. He found a grove of Red Maple trees and pulled the buggy under them, in the shade where the breeze from the river reminded him of Little Bend. Ellie looked around with wonder. "Oh, isn't this beautiful!" she exclaimed. This time Ben got around to help her down, then grabbed the picnic basket from the back seat. There was a blanket over the top, and he found just the right spot and spread it on the grass.

"Here, let's have some wine first," she suggested, and helped him retrieve the glasses. Ben poured half a glass each, and then offered a toast.

"To the finest schoolteacher in Baton Rouge, and to sharing many more Sunday afternoon's with her." They drank some of their wine, then Ben leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Her eyes sparkled, and he kissed her again, this time on the lips. The kiss was soft and tender, and she responded with one of her own. "I think we better eat before this wine goes to our heads."

"You're probably right," she agreed, and they began emptying the basket. Fried chicken, potato salad, corn bread, and giant pickles, plus a variety of cookies for dessert. "My goodness, there's enough here to feed a small army."

"That's just what I feel like," Ben replied. Ellie was about to be exposed to the Maverick appetite.

They ate and talked and drank wine. Ben filled Ellie in on the Maverick family tree, including his brother and nephews in Little Bend and his niece and her babies in Montana.

"You certainly have a colorful family. And an interesting one, too," she told him. "Have they ever come to visit Baton Rouge?"

"Beauregard and the boys have been here, but not their wives or the grandkids. They're such a big bunch, it's hard to travel. Of course, that's partly Bart's fault, he and Doralice just kept havin' those babies. I'm surprised they stopped at five. And to think there was a time the boy thought he wasn't cut out to be a father!"

"Speaking of being a father, how does Beau feel about having a new baby, since the other two are almost grown?"

"He's thrilled. They've wanted one for years, and it just never happened. And now Dani's gonna be a momma again. Now if Beau could just be happy with his business, his life would be about perfect."

"He doesn't enjoy being a land broker?"

"Not really. There was one thing he really loves, and he was good at it, too. But Danielle would probably have a fit if he went back to it."

"And what was that?"

"Operating a saloon. He ran the one in Montana, The Four Mavericks, and he loved it. I know he misses it somethin' fierce. And he was good at it, too. Not that he ain't good at the land business, he just doesn't care for it."

"And Danielle doesn't want him to be happy?"

"Oh, she does, she just wants it to be her kind of happy."

"Society happy?" Ellie asked.

"That's it. I try not to interfere. But I wish he would say something to her. He seems so miserable every day when he goes to the office."

"Can't he keep the land business and buy a saloon, maybe something small at first, so they can both be happy?"

"We'll see. I think he's about ready to suggest that." Ben yawned. "See, I've got my belly full, now I'm ready for a nap."

"Lay down." Ellie patted the blanket next to her, and Ben took Ellie up on her offer. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, and soon Ellie was lying next to him. An hour later Ben woke with Ellie's head on his shoulder. He kissed her eyelids, and her eyes opened slowly.

"Didn't know you were gonna join me," he murmured before he reached down and kissed her again, just as soft and tender as the first time.

"A girl could get used to that," she whispered back to him.

"So could I," he told her as he kissed her one more time. He gathered her into his arms and held her close; he could feel her heart beating. "Ellie . . ."

"Shhh. Just kiss me, Ben." And so he did.

XXXXXXXX

"What time will school be over tomorrow?" Ben asked as he drove her home, later that evening.

"Around four o'clock."

"Can I pick you up?"

"If you'd like."

"I'd very much like."

"Ben, there something I wanted to ask you."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Would you go to church with me next Sunday?"

"You sure you want to be seen with me?" he laughed.

"Yes, sir. I certainly do."

"Alright. I'll come pick you up around ten o'clock. Is that good?"

"It's perfect."

' _Yes, it is,'_ Ben thought.


	11. The Gilded Lady

Chapter 10 – The Gilded Lady

Ben picked Ellie up every day from school, a little after four o'clock. It gave him an excuse not to be at home when Beau got in from work. There was a storm coming between Beau and Dani and Ben didn't want to be part of it.

Abby knew that things were coming to a head, too, and she envied her brother his stay in Texas. She didn't understand why her mother seemed so dead set against her father being happy. As long as they had clothes on their backs and a roof over their heads, what difference did it make what kind of a business Beau Maverick ran? If it made him happy . . . that's what counted. Abby knew that Benny felt the same way she did, and grandpa Ben, too. Her mother seemed to be the only one who objected.

The week dragged on without a resolution of any kind. By Friday night the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Then on Saturday Beau left the house early and came home around two o'clock, and he was whistling. Abby heard the noise and came inside to see who was making it and found her father in his study, with a stack of paperwork in front of him. Whistling. "Daddy?"

He stopped whistling and quickly turned in his chair. "Abby! What are you up to?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"You mean because I'm whistling?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well . . . I did something today I've wanted to do for a long time. I bought the Gilded Lady."

"The saloon on twenty-seventh street?"

Abby's question gave Beau pause. "How do you know where it is?"

She gave her father a confused stare. "You took me by there and showed it to me several weeks ago."

"I did? Oh, I remember now. Well, she's mine as of today. All mine. Bought and paid for with my money, and my money alone."

Abby ran over to his desk and threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Daddy! I'm so happy for you! I know you've wanted it for such a long time." She quickly backed away and became very quiet. "What about Momma?"

A familiar voice questioned from the doorway, "Yes, what about momma?"

Father and daughter turned towards the sound to find Dani standing there, with her arms folded across her chest, looking puzzled. "Just what is it that Momma doesn't know?"

Beau knew that he couldn't put this off any longer. "I, uh . . . I bought a saloon today, Dani."

"You . . . bought a saloon?"

"Yes."

"Even though I didn't want you to?"

"Yes."

"Abby, could you leave your father and me alone?"

"Yes, Momma." She gave a quick glance to Beau and left the room. Dani closed the door behind her.

"Now, Beau, what is this about buying a saloon?"

Beau cleared his throat and began. "I used money that belonged to me alone and bought the Gilded Lady. That way you don't have to know anything about your husband and a gambling operation."

"And how does that solve my problem?"

"You can still be the wife of a land broker. I'll own the business, but Ralph is going to run the place."

"And you'll be at the saloon."

"That's the general idea, yes."

"No one is going to have anything to do with us, Beau. We'll be pariah's."

"No, we won't. Nothing will change, except I'll be doing something I enjoy doing." Beau gave her a hopeful smile, but all he got in return was a scowl.

Dani stood in the doorway for another five minutes before she walked over to one of the overstuffed chairs next to his desk. Beau kept expecting her to say something but she remained mute. This was not a good sign. When she finally spoke her voice was soft and low, but he heard none of the anger he expected to hear . . . only pain. "All this time . . .all this time you knew how I felt about you running a saloon . . . and you bought one anyway. Do I matter so little to you?"

He reached for her hand quickly. "That's not true, Dani, and you know it. You and the twins and that baby are the most important things in the world to me. But I've been unhappy for the longest time, and it's all got to do with that brokerage firm. I've waited until we were well established in the community, so there could be no question about my moral fiber . . . no doubts about my strength of character. I've built a reputation for honesty and integrity that no one can question, no aspersions can be cast on any member of our family. I didn't do this to hurt you, Dani. I love you more than anything. I'm just tryin' to do somethin' I really enjoy. Can you understand that?"

"Are you really that unhappy at the brokerage?"

"Yes."

"Where is this place? And what's it called?"

"She's on twenty-seventh street, and she's named The Gilded Lady."

"Well, at least it's not close to here."

"No, she's about a mile from the brokerage office. That way I can get from one to the other in a hurry if I have to."

"How big is it?"

"She's got a big mahogany bar, and six or eight tables. It's a small place, really."

"I suppose I can't argue with a man that's got this all so well thought out. I suppose you're going to have to change the décor now that you own it."

Beau laughed. This was going far better than he'd anticipated. "I would if it had any. Décor, that is. But I have to do somethin' with her; she's a real mess right now."

"When is it officially yours?"

"Right now. I paid for everything this morning. I don't suppose you want to see her?"

Dani looked horrified. "How would I do that, pray tell?"

"I could take you over there after dark. There's a back entrance that's off an alley. She's closing up at six o'clock tonight and staying closed for at least a week."

"Well . . . maybe."

"Dani . . . I love you."

"You better."

' _Thanks, Cousin Bart,'_ he thought after Dani left the room. ' _You were right after all.'_


	12. Unsavory Characters

Chapter 11 – Unsavory Characters

As promised, Ben appeared at Mrs. Bradley's front door at ten in the morning on Sunday. He and Ellie went to church and, he had to admit, he enjoyed himself. The sermon touched on forgiveness, and the congregation should have paid more attention to it. Two or three of the ladies recognized Ben from his previous visit when he'd been introduced to Ellie Harris, and they were all too eager to discuss what they knew about the way he'd made his living before he retired.

When church was over, those ladies gathered together, and the gossiping commenced. "I heard he was a gambler," Mrs. Gilchrist stated.

"You know those gamblers are all cheats," Mrs. Murphy added.

"How can she associate with the man?" Mrs. Walters asked.

"There's no way our school teacher should be keeping company with a card cheat," Mrs. Kramer was firm in that opinion.

"I'm going home and see if I can get Harold to put pressure on her to stop seeing him. He'd be a bad influence on the children," Mrs. Arthur was sure of that.

All of the ladies involved in the gossip did their level best to convince everyone they knew that the school teacher should not be allowed to keep company with a card cheat, even if they had no proof that he WAS a card cheat, and he no longer gambled for a living. It just so happened there was a Board of Education meeting that Friday evening at the school, and there were more than enough people in attendance to force a vote on the issue of strict guidelines regarding fraternization with 'unsavory characters.'

By the end of the meeting, new rules had been passed, effective immediately. Elsibeth Harris was told that under those rules she could not associate with Ben Maverick, as he was a gambler and a card cheat and, as such, was considered to be an unsatisfactory companion. Ellie argued and protested for almost an hour, but her protestations did no good; she was finally told that if she wanted to keep her job at the school she would disassociate herself from the man immediately.

She was heartbroken but was left with no choice. Much as she'd found herself falling in love with the man, she needed the teaching job just to survive. When Ben picked her up after the Board meeting it was obvious she'd been crying. "What happened, Ellie? What's wrong?"

"Oh, Ben, all those old women got together and convinced the other members that you would be a bad influence on me. If I want to keep my job I have to quit seeing you."

"That's it? Because I was a gambler, you can't see me anymore? Can they do that?"

She started to sob again. "Yes, they can, and they have. I don't want to quit seeing you, Ben . . ."

"But you have no choice. I don't like it . . . but I can't see any way around it. Maybe it would do some good to talk to a lawyer. Do you have a written contract?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good, can you get me a copy?"

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"If there's a chance we can salvage this relationship and tell the Board of Education to go to hell, darn right I want to do it."

"Alright then, wait here. I know just where my contract is." Ellie climbed down out of the buggy and ran into Mrs. Bradley's. She wasn't gone five minutes before she came back out with the contract in her hand. "Here it is. Let me know as soon as you hear anything."

Ben climbed down from the buggy and gathered her into his arms. He kissed her and told her, "Don't worry. We'll find a way around this."

"Please do," she whispered back to him. "I don't want to lose you because of some old women."

Ben and the buggy hurried off into the night.

XXXXXXXX

There was a light on in Beau's study when Ben got home, and he hurried in to talk to his son. "Do you have an attorney in your office?"

"No, not in the office, but we use an attorney all the time. His name's Russ Myers, he's got an office right next door. Why?"

"I need you to do me a favor."

"What is it, Pa?"

"The Board of Education passed a rule that brands me an 'unsavory character' and forbids Ellie from keepin' company with me. If she continues in spite of the warning, she loses her job. I want to know if that's legal, and if they can do it. And if it ain't legal, I wanna know how we fight it. And I wanna know in a danged hurry."

"They did what?"

"You heard me. They're tryin' to tell her who she can see and who she can't see. And the who they're banning her from seeing is me, and I don't like it."

"No, that ain't right."

"I know it ain't right, I just want to know if it's legal."

"You really like this woman, huh?"

"Yes, Beau, I do like her. I like her a lot. And I don't want somebody tellin' me that I can't see her because I used to be a gambler."

"No, Pa, I wouldn't want it to happen to me, either. I'll talk to Russ in the mornin'." Ben turned to leave the room when Beau stopped him. "I've got a better idea. Why don't you come with me and we'll go straight to Russ's office? He's usually in early. That way we can find out right away."

"Good. That's a good idea, son. What time you leavin' for work?"

"Be ready to go at eight o'clock, Pa. Russ should be in by that time."

XXXXXXXX

Ben and Beau were sitting in Russ Myer's office the next morning, observing the attorney as he read Ellie's contract. When he set the document down, there was a blank look on his face. "Well, Mr. Maverick, I don't see anything that specifically allows the School Board to enforce arbitrary rules, such as the one they voted in last night. However, it appears the only way to challenge them is to sue them in court."

"How long would that take, Mr. Myers?"

"Oh, I think we can get it on the docket in a week or two. You do understand there are no guarantees that Mrs. Harris will win the suit."

"I understand. And I will be paying your fee, Mr. Myers."

"There's one more thing, Mr. Maverick."

"Yes, sir?"

"You really shouldn't see Mrs. Harris until we get a decision in court. For her benefit, that is."

"If that's necessary," Ben answered.

"I believe it is in her best interest."

"You need to win this lawsuit, Mr. Myers."

"I take it there's more at stake than not wanting a school board to dictate what one can and cannot do."

"A lot more, Mr. Myers."

A few minutes later Ben and Beau were standing outside the land office smoking cigars. "Pa, is there somethin' here you haven't told me?"

"Like what, son?"

"Like what this lawsuit is really about?"

Ben let a smile creep across his face, but he gave Beau no answer. This was one time the boy would have to wait.


	13. Perfect Gentlemen

Chapter 12 – Perfect Gentleman

There was a knock at Mrs. Bradley's door, but when she opened it the man standing there looked only vaguely familiar. "Mrs. Bradley?"

"Yes."

"Mrs. Bradley, I'm Beau Maverick, Ben Maverick's son. Is Mrs. Harris in, please?"

"Won't you come in, Mr. Maverick? I'll get her for you." Mrs. Bradley showed Beau into the parlor and then went down the hall to Ellie's room. In just a few minutes, Ellie returned.

"Mrs. Harris, I'm Beau Maverick, Ben's son."

"Is Ben alright?"

Beau sat down as soon as Ellie took a seat. "Yes ma'am, other than madder than a wet hen, Pa is perfectly fine. He thought it would be best if I came to see you, after what happened with the school board."

"Oh, dear."

"There's nothing to worry about, Mrs. Harris. We went to see an attorney yesterday, and he advised Pa to stay away from you until the case goes to court."

"Court, Mr. Maverick?"

"Yes, ma'am. Mr. Myers is of the opinion that the School Board probably doesn't have the authority to make the rule they did, but the only way to challenge it is to bring a suit in court against them. And he believes that the best way to protect your reputation is for the two of you to avoid seeing each other until the case goes to court."

"Oh, dear."

"So Pa wanted me to come explain everything to you this morning. Mr. Myers believes the case will be put on the court docket within a week or two, and then this can all be resolved."

"I see."

"Mrs. Harris, I'm going to stick my nose in where it probably doesn't belong. Do you care for my father?"

"You're right. It doesn't belong there, but I will answer you. I do care for Ben, quite a bit as a matter of fact. I was heartbroken when the board prohibited me from seeing him. And I'm delighted we're suing them. Please tell Ben I can't wait to see him again."

"I will, Mrs. Harris. I most certainly will."

XXXXXXXX

The case of _Harris and Maverick vs. the Baton Rouge Board of Education_ was scheduled to be heard on August 14. The case was the big topic of discussion around town, and it had drawn the attention of most of the community. Everybody was waiting to see just what the outcome would be, since it was bound to affect the majority of the populace.

Beau was spending most of his time working on The Gilded Lady, and Ben was giving his son all the help he could handle. Besides, it was a good way to keep his mind occupied with something other than how much he missed Ellie. It appeared that the remodeling was going to be finished just about the time that the trial started.

The closer it got to the trial date the more unsettled Dani became. Abby told her father whenever she went shopping with her mother some of their friends wouldn't even speak to her, and Dani wondered why. There were three possible reasons – 1. Word spread that her husband had bought and paid for The Gilded Lady. 2. Everyone knew that the school teacher was dating a man that used to be a gambler, and that was the reason for the new rule concerning fraternization with 'unsavory characters'. 3. The man that Ellie Harris was seeing was Dani Mavericks father-in-law.

Dani was ignored by people she used to call friends; bad-mouthed by girls she'd grown up with, and unnoticed in retail establishments. And, according to her, it was all the Maverick's fault, starting with Ben's life as a gambler and ending with Beau's insistence that he wanted to own a saloon again.

Finally, on August fourteenth, Ben Maverick and Ellie Harris went to court along with Russ Myers and were met by a contingent of School Board members, led by attorney Jenkins Malloy. The presiding judge was Lamont Westridge. The two attorneys made their opening remarks, then Russ Myers called his first witness, Ben Maverick. After he was sworn in, Myers began his questioning. "Please state your full name for the record."

"Bentley Jonathan Maverick."

"And how long have you lived in Baton Rouge, Mr. Maverick?"

"For the past seven years."

"And where did you reside before that?"

"In Little Bend, Texas."

"And how did you make your living in Texas, Mr. Maverick?"

"I was a Professional Poker Player, Mr. Myers."

"Were you what was known as a card sharp?"

"No sir, I was not. I was an honest Poker Player."

"Did you continue to play poker when you came to Baton Rouge?"

"Sporadically, but not on a regular basis."

"And are you actively playing poker now?"

"No sir, I am not."

"No more questions, your honor."

Jenkins Malloy stood up. "Mr. Maverick, do you not have a brother that still lives in Little Bend?"

"I do. His name is Beauregard."

"Did the two of you travel the country playing poker when you were younger?"

"We did."

"And how many times were the two of you arrested?"

"For what, sir?"

"For cheating at poker."

"We were never arrested for cheating at poker, because we didn't cheat at poker."

"In all the years that you and your brother played poker, you were never arrested for cheating?"

"That is correct, Mr. Malloy."

"I believe you have a son that resides in Baton Rouge?"

"A son, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren."

"And what does your son do for a living?"

"He's a land broker."

"And didn't he just purchase The Gilded Lady Saloon on twenty-seventh street?"

"He did."

"And what did he do before he came to Baton Rouge?"

Ben cleared his throat. "He was a poker player."

"An honest one, I assume?" A laugh ran through the courtroom.

"That is correct."

"And how many times was your son arrested for cheating at poker?"

"None, Mr. Malloy."

Malloy sighed. This questioning was getting him nowhere. "Nothing further, your honor."

"You may step down, Mr. Maverick."

The judge spoke. "Call your next witness, Mr. Myers."

"We call Mrs. Elsibeth Harris."

Ellie was sworn in and stated her full name. "Elsibeth Allison Harris."

"How long have you lived in Baton Rouge, Mrs. Harris?"

"Three months, Mr. Myers."

"And where do you currently reside?"

"At Mrs. Bradley's Boarding House for Women."

"And where did you meet Mr. Maverick?"

"At the First Congregational Church."

"And who introduced you?"

"His daughter-in-law, Danielle Maverick."

"And did Mr. Maverick explain to you that he'd been a professional poker player before he retired?"

"Yes, he did."

"And did he tell you that he was not a card cheat?"

"He did."

"And did you have any reason to doubt him?"

"No."

"You've gone out to dinner several times with Mr. Maverick?"

"Yes."

"And how has he behaved each time?"

"Like a perfect gentleman, Mr. Myers."

"No further questions, your honor."

"Mr. Malloy."

"No questions for this witness, your honor."

"Mr. Myers, call your next witness."

"The defense calls Mrs. Marjorie Bradley."

Mrs. Bradley was sworn in, and Mr. Myers began his questioning. "Please state your full name."

"Marjorie Bradley."

"And where do you reside, Mrs. Bradley?"

"I am the owner and proprietor of Mrs. Bradley's Boarding House for Women."

"And Mrs. Elsibeth Harris is a resident there?"

"She is."

"And how long has she lived there?"

"For three months, Mr. Myers."

"And you are acquainted with Mr. Bentley Maverick?"

"Yes, sir."

"And how did you meet Mr. Maverick?"

"He came to pick up Mrs. Harris."

"And what did you think of Mr. Maverick?"

Mrs. Bradley cleared her throat. "I thought that Mr. Maverick was one of the finest gentlemen that I had ever met."

"And in all the times you have spent time with or spoken to Mr. Maverick, has he said or done anything to cause you to change your opinion of him?"

"No sir, he's always been a perfect gentleman."

"Thank you, Mrs. Bradley, no further questions."

"Your witness, Mr. Malloy."

Mr. Malloy rose and approached the witness. "Mrs. Bradley, were you aware of the fact that Mr. Maverick was a gambler before he retired?"

"Yes, I was."

"And you are aware of the unsavory reputation that most gamblers have?"

"I am, Mr. Malloy. But there was nothing unsavory about Mr. Maverick. He was a gentleman at all times. He even went out of his way to make sure that I was treated with respect and courtesy."

"No further questions, your honor."

Judge Westridge banged his gavel twice. "Alright, we will break for lunch and return at one o'clock."

Mr. Myers, Mrs. Harris and Mr. Maverick walked out of the courthouse together. "How are we doin', Mr. Myers?" Ben asked.

"I think we're winning, hands down," Russ Myers answered. "We'll see after lunch."


	14. Moving Out

Chapter 13 – Moving Out

At exactly one o'clock Judge Westridge's gavel banged again, and court was back in session. "Call your next witness, Mr. Myers."

"The plaintiff rests, your honor."

"Mr. Malloy . . . your turn."

Mr. Malloy called one witness after another in an attempt to portray Ben Maverick as anything other than a complete and total gentleman. And every time Russ Myers cross-examined that witness, he got them to admit that they'd never heard Ben being anything but a gentleman. They'd heard seven witnesses when Mr. Myers moved that the rule passed by the Board of Education be declared invalid, since their attempt to label Mr. Maverick an Unsavory Character had failed miserably.

Judge Westridge agreed with Attorney Myers and ruled in the plaintiff's favor, declaring the newly amended rule to the contract of Elsibeth Harris to be frivolous and illegal, and non-binding. "Case dismissed" he announced, and Ellie gave Myers a hug, followed by another for Ben.

"Mrs. Bradley, I would be honored if you would allow me to take you home," Ben announced.

"Well, I don't see why not, Mr. Maverick, since you're not an 'unsavory character,'" Marjorie allowed. She laughed, right along with Ben and Ellie, and the three of them loaded into the buggy and headed for the boarding house.

They had tea in the parlor and Ben thanked Marjorie for testifying for him. "It was easy. All I had to do was tell the truth."

Ben laughed. "Still, I appreciate it. It took courage to sit up there and answer questions."

When tea was over, Ben suggested to Ellie that they go see Beau and fill him in on the outcome. "He should be at the brokerage this afternoon. I wouldn't ask you to go to the saloon. He's almost done with the remodel, though."

"That sounds like something we should do. Go tell him what happened, I mean."

"I agree. Do you need anything before we leave?"

"I should take a shawl. Let me go get one." And Ellie hurried down to her room and selected a soft blue shawl that matched her eyes. "All ready," she informed Ben when she got back.

"Beau sure got us the right lawyer," Ben ruminated. "I don't think we could have found a better one."

"He really did us a favor."

"I'm sure he'll be pleased by the outcome."

They arrived at the brokerage office to find that Beau had gone home just a few minutes earlier. Ben turned the buggy around and headed for home. "Do you mind?" he asked Ellie. "We can stop and visit for a few minutes, and then we can go to dinner somewhere. As long as that's alright."

"Of course. I'd like to thank Dani, anyway."

"For what?" Ben asked, genuinely puzzled.

"For introducing us, what else?"

"Oh."

They left the buggy next door at the livery and walked to the house, where they found Abby sitting on the front steps. She rose quickly and hugged her grandfather. "Congratulations."

"Now how did you know?" Ben asked her.

"From that big smile on both of your faces. You wouldn't look like that if you'd lost."

"Smart girl."

"Yes, she is. Abby is a delight to teach," Ellie added.

"Thank you, Mrs. Harris. I don't think I'd go inside just yet if I were you. It's gotten a little loud in there."

Ben sighed. "What now?"

"Reverend Springer came by right after the lawsuit was over. Some of the women that are on the School Board don't want momma on any of the church committees anymore, and the Reverend thought it might be a good idea for her to stay away until this all blows over."

"You heard the Reverend tell your mother all that?" Ben was angry, but he held his anger in check lest Abby would think he was angry at her.

Abby shook her head, "No, I heard momma tell daddy that's what the Reverend said. Then she cried. And she brought up The Gilded Lady again, and told daddy this is all his fault."

It wasn't Beau's fault, and Dani knew it. She really blamed Ben, but she wasn't about to voice that opinion out loud, so she did the only thing she could . . . she blamed her husband. It was time for Ben to step in and say something, before his son's marriage fell apart.

"Ellie, there's a little café just down the street. Would you take Abby down there and the two of you get somethin' to drink, and stay for a few minutes? I have to talk to these two inside for a bit. I won't be long, then I'll take the three of us out for dinner. Here's some money. Please?"

"Of course, Ben. Take your time. Abby and I will be fine." Ellie took Abby's hand, and the two set off for the café, while Ben went inside the house. The only voice he could hear was Dani's. It got deathly quiet when Ben walked into the living room. Dani's cheeks were red, and she'd been crying. Beau looked miserably unhappy.

"I brought Mrs. Harris home with me. She wanted to thank you, Dani, for introducing us to each other. I had to send her and Abby down the street so they wouldn't hear the yelling going on in here. This is all about that stupid rule and the lawsuit, isn't it?"

"There's no reason for you to get involved in this, Pa. It's between Dani and me."

"No, Beau, it's not. This is my fault because I was a gambler my whole life, and the people here hold that against you. It didn't make no difference as long as I stayed quiet and outta everybody's lives, but as soon as I was out in public, I was unacceptable. Only one way to solve this . . . I'm gonna find me another place to live. That way they can't hold it against you or Dani if I ain't here."

"Pa, I don't want you movin' out. You're too old to be livin' by yourself, and I'm not gonna let those hypocrites run you off."

' _It ain't the hypocrites runnin' me off, Beau.'_ "I think it's the best thing for everybody, son. Maybe it'll just be temporary, and things will settle down again."

Beau shook his head. "No, Pa, I don't want you leavin'. I'll put the Lady up for sale. That's what Dani wants anyway, ain't it, Dani?" Dani sat there, rubbing her hands together but not saying a word. "That's what you want, ain't it, Dani?"

"Yes," she finally whispered.

"No, son, that saloon has made you happier than I've seen you in ages. Nobody knows about the Lady, but they all know about me. I'm gonna find me a hotel room down by Mrs. Bradley's and move closer to Ellie, and we'll see how it goes."

"Pa . . . "

"Don't argue with me, boy, that's what's best for everybody. Just let me go."

And just like that, it was settled.


	15. A Stacked Deck

Chapter 14 – A Stacked Deck

As promised, Ben took Ellie and Abby to dinner, then drove Abby home. It was on his way back to the boarding house that he told Ellie what he had planned. "Oh, Ben, I'm so sorry. I feel like this is all my fault."

He reached over and patted her hand. "This has nothin' to do with you, Ellie. If I don't get out of there and give them two some peace and quiet, that marriage is gonna fall apart, and I can't let that happen. Deep down they love each other too much, and there's a little one to think of. And it's no good for me, either. I'm gonna get a hotel room down closer to you; I've got some thinkin' to do. I didn't realize how much I missed my brother and Little Bend until we went back for a visit. People down there don't treat you like they do up here. Maybe I ain't cut out for Louisiana society. You're from Houston; don't you ever feel that way?"

"I have to admit it, I sometimes do. I was hoping I'd get over it, and for the most part, I have. But I understand what you mean."

"Well, I ain't sure exactly what I'm gonna do yet, but I want to see which way the wind blows. I'm gonna buy a horse and a buggy of my own, and move in somewhere close to a livery. That way I can still pick you up and take you to school every day . . . as long as you want me to."

"Of course I do. I want to spend as much time with you as I can. Ben, I . . . I love being with you."

Ben lit up with a smile. "Good. I'm too old to beat around the bush, Ellie. I love spending time with you, too. Mrs. Bradley will probably get sick of seeing me."

Ellie burst out laughing. "I don't think so. I think Marjorie has a bit of a crush on you herself."

"She's a sweet lady, but I only have feelings for one lady, and she's here with me now."

They rode the rest of the way to Mrs. Bradley's in silence, and when they arrived he escorted her to the door. "I'm gonna go back to Beau's and explain things to Abby. I don't want her upset with either of her parents. I'll be by for you in the morning." He pulled her close to him gently and kissed her with every ounce of tenderness he had in him. "Goodnight, Ellie."

"Goodnight, Ben."

He waited until she was inside, and then returned to the buggy. He was not looking forward to the explaining he had to do to his granddaughter.

XXXXXXXX

"But why, grandpa? Why do you have to move out?" Abby had big tears running down her face.

"Abby, honey, don't cry. I won't be that far away. I'm just gonna move down by Ellie so I can spend more time with her."

"It's because of momma, isn't it?"

"No, Abby, it is not because of your mother."

"Then why, grandpa?"

"Abby, it's just best if I move into a place of my own."

"I don't want you to go."

"I know you don't, sweetheart, but sometimes we have to do things that we can't explain."

"Will you come to see me?"

"Of course I will."

Abby threw her arms around him and hugged him. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you too, angel."

Beau was standing outside of Abby's room when his father came out. "You're really gonna move out?"

"I am."

"And there's nothin' I can do to change your mind?"

"No, son, not a thing."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow, as soon as I find the right place."

"What are you gonna do . . . "

"I'm buyin' a buggy tomorrow. Then I'll find a place to live."

"Pa . . . "

Ben put his hand up. "That's enough, son. Don't push me any farther."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm goin' to bed now. It's been a hard day. Goodnight, Beau."

"Goodnight, Pa."

Each of the Maverick men went to their bedrooms; Ben undressed, climbed into bed and went right to sleep. Beau sat on the edge of the bed and told Dani, "He's leavin' tomorrow. I couldn't talk him out of it."

"If that's what he wants . . . "

"It's not what he wants, Dani. It's what he thinks he has to do. And I don't wanna hear any more about it." Beau undressed and climbed into bed, keeping his back to Dani the entire time. Maybe he would forgive her in time, but right now he was too upset to even think about it. If Ben was going to try and put this marriage back together, he had a long road ahead of him. The Mavericks were always at their best when the odds seemed to be stacked against them. Just like now.


	16. Settling In

Chapter 15 – Settling In

The livery next door to the Maverick house had a perfectly good buggy for sale, and Ben wasted no time in buying it. Then he found a chestnut mare and added her to his purchase, and he was soon off, south towards Mrs. Bradley's. A block from the boarding house he found the Baton Rouge Lodge, which had a livery in the rear of the premises. He had just enough time to hurry to the boarding house and pick up Ellie. She was waiting for him on the porch, and she hurried to climb into the buggy.

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, and he smiled and whispered, "Good morning."

"You look awfully pleased with yourself this morning."

"I am. You're riding in my brand new buggy, and I've already taken a room at the Baton Rouge Lodge. They have a livery on the premises, and if you stay longer than a week the charges are included in the room fees. I got a suite because it was cheaper than a regular room, and I can move in any time after two this afternoon."

"That's right down the street."

"I haven't seen the room yet, but the hotel looks good from the outside."

"How did Beau take it?"

"He wasn't happy about it. Abby cried, but that was to be expected. I told her I wanted to see more of you; that was the truth."

"You're going back to get your clothes from the house? Is Dani going to be there?"

"I'm sure she will. But that should be our last encounter for a while."

"Do you really think this will work?"

"I'm counting on it."

They pulled up in front of the schoolhouse and Ben got down to help Ellie out of the buggy. "Four o'clock?"

Ellie nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll see you then. Ben, I . . . "

"I know. Me, too."

XXXXXXXX

There was no one at the house but Katherine, and she didn't know where Dani went. It didn't take Ben long to load his belongings into the buggy, and he had everything unloaded before lunch. The suite was much nicer than he expected it to be, and he was quite pleased with his choice. It was actually close enough to Mrs. Bradley's that he could walk.

He'd started thinking about the trip the family had made to Texas, and wondering if there was enough room for another house to be built on the property. And then he wondered how Beau would take it if he moved back to spend whatever time he had left with his brother and his nieces and nephews. And Ellie, if she would go with him.

Ellie was the wild card; he didn't know how she felt about him. There was no doubt in his mind what his feelings were for her; he'd been without a woman for a long time and he missed the closeness that came with them. When you found the right one, it was sheer heaven, and he'd started having those feelings for the schoolteacher. There was something special about her. The way she walked, the way the braid in her hair swung, the way her head tilted just so to listen when you were talking. He didn't want to give that up, now that he'd found her, but she'd fled Texas to avoid the memories, and he didn't know if she would risk going back again. That was a bridge he'd have to cross at a later date.

By four o'clock Ben had everything put away in his hotel room and was on his way back to the school to pick Ellie up and take her home. "Do you need to go home for anything?"

"I would like to wash up and change clothes. Do you mind?"

"Not in the least. I thought perhaps we could take Mrs. Bradley to dinner with us. A thank you for testifying for us. If that's alright with you."

"I think that would be a sweet gesture, and she'd probably love it."

"Good. You do what you need to do, and I'll ask her to go with us."

By the time Ellie was ready to go, so was Mrs. Bradley. "What kind of food do you like, Marjorie?"

"Just about anything I don't have to cook, Ben."

"How about a good steak and a glass of wine?"

"That sounds heavenly, Ben."

"Good, the Cattlemen's Club it is, then."

And so the three friends passed a pleasant evening eating steak and drinking Cabernet Sauvignon, talking about nothing more exciting than the Mississippi River and what would happen if it ever reversed course. "Thank goodness we don't ever have to find out," Ellie remarked.

"Kind of like the chaos that's erupted in the Maverick household," Ben added for good measure.

"Is it really that bad right now? I don't mean to be nosy, but they always seem like such pleasant people. Not the kind to end up in a screaming match."

"Well, you see Mrs. Bradley, Dani is an only child of wealthy parents, who never heard the word 'no' in her entire life. When met with the least bit of resistance, she tends to throw a tantrum. Beau had just about broken her of the habit of expecting everything she ever wanted. And livin' like most of us live. "And then she got pregnant, and normal went flying out the window. She's been criticized and treated with no respect, just because I was a gambler for most of my life. No matter that I wasn't a card cheat.

"They really do love each other. But I could see them gettin' torn apart, and I couldn't just stand by and do nothin'. So this is what it's come to."

Mrs. Bradley nodded her head. "Like I said yesterday, a perfect gentleman."


	17. Supper at Mama Rosa's

Chapter 16 – Supper at Mama Rosa's

Ben waited a week before he went to see his son at the almost ready-to-open saloon, The Gilded Lady. He found Beau behind the bar, stacking glasses, and they embraced in true Maverick bear hug fashion. "Where have you been?"

"I've been busy, Pa. Tryin' to get this place ready to open and overseeing the land business ain't easy."

"You haven't been home much, either."

"No, I've been avoiding home as much as possible."

"You still mad at Dani?"

"Not as much."

"And how's Abby doin'?"

Beau shuffled his feet and sighed. "I have to tell you the truth, Pa. It's been tough on Abby. She misses you."

"I ain't the only one she misses."

"I know. But I tried to explain it to her. As soon as I get the Lady open, I'll have more time to spend with her."

"I'd like to take her home with me this afternoon, and bring her home after supper, if that's alright with you."

Beau nodded. "Sure, Pa. I'll send a note to Dani so she doesn't worry. Abby will be thrilled." Beau stopped for a minute before continuing. "How're you and Mrs. Harris doin'?"

A big smile spread across Ben's face. "Ellie and me . . . I gotta tell you, son, it's been a long time since I felt this way about somebody. She reminds me so much of your ma, and yet . . . yet she's different, somehow. She's a joy to be around. She found a different church, and she's even got me goin' with her on Sundays. We never run out of things to talk about. I ain't been this happy since . . . well, since I lost your ma."

"I'm glad to hear it, Pa. I was really anxious when you left, but it sounds like you're doin' alright."

"I am, son. I just wanted to see how things were goin'. Don't forget to send word to Dani about tonight." Ben turned to leave but quickly turned back. "How about lunch the end of this week? Say, Friday?"

"Sure, Pa. Friday's good."

"I'll come pick you up at noon. How's that?"

"Works for me. I'll see you at noon on Friday. You take care of yourself."

Ben went to school that day around three-thirty, to be sure he caught Abby before she left for home. As soon as she saw him, she came running over and gave him a big kiss. "Grandpa! Did you come to see me?"

"Yes, ma'am, I sure did. I talked to your pa earlier and got his permission to take you to supper with me and Ellie. How does that sound to you?"

"Tonight? That's wonderful! I miss you so much at home. I eat and do my homework at night and spend the rest of my evening in my room."

"Where's your mother?"

"She goes to her room as soon as supper's over."

"And your Pa?"

"He goes back to the Lady most nights. I don't know when he comes home."

Ben looked disturbed by the information she'd given him. "Don't they spend any time together?"

"Not much. And when they're together, they hardly talk."

Before they could talk anymore, Ellie came out and locked the school door behind her. "Oh, good. I see you talked to Beau today."

"I did, and the three of us have all evening together. Where does everybody want to eat supper?"

"How about Mama Rosa's?" Abby suggested. Mama Rosa's was a Mexican-Creole restaurant that she and Ben loved.

"Sounds exciting. Let's go there," Ellie agreed.

"You sure? It's somethin' different," Ben explained.

"If you and Abby like it I'm sure I will, too."

"Alright. Mama Rosa's it is." And they set off for twenty-fifth street.

XXXXXXXX

Ellie was right; she liked the food at Mama Rosa's just as much as Abby and Ben. The three of them had a great time and talked almost non-stop through the meal. "I'm absolutely stuffed," Ellie proclaimed. She sat drinking coffee while Ben and Abby finished off dessert. "I don't know where the two of you put it all."

The two Mavericks laughed; Ellie hadn't encountered the Maverick appetite very often and was surprised that Abby ate the same way. "It runs in the family," Ben explained. "Most all of us are big eaters."

"I wouldn't be able to walk if I ate that much. But the food certainly was good."

"You just eat what you're comfortable with," Ben told Ellie. "You've got a good enough appetite."

"You should invite momma and daddy to dinner with you two. I bet you could get them to talk to each other."

"That's not a bad idea, Ben. I'm willing to give it a try if you are." Ellie looked hopeful. She knew how worried Ben had been about his son and daughter-in-law.

"Let's give 'em another week or two and see if they come around by themselves. If not, we'll see what we can do." Ben had a feeling that Beau and Dani would be more successful at working things out if they did it on their own.

When supper was finished they went for a buggy ride. It was a beautiful night out and nobody wanted to go home just yet. Around nine o'clock Ben headed back to Beau's house and pulled up to the front steps. He got out and walked Abby to the door, where she gave him a hug and a kiss, and made him promise they would do this again. "Goodnight, Ellie!" she called and waved.

Ellie waved back, and Ben returned to the buggy once Abby was inside. 'She's such a sweet girl," Ellie declared. "But she's so sad in school."

"Because of her mother and father?" Ben asked.

"I assume so. We both try to keep school and home separate."

"I hafta get those two back together. I can't do anything until they are."

Ellie gave him a strange look. "Do anything? What do you have in mind?"

"Oh, nothing, really. Just talking." That wasn't quite true, but it was all he was willing to divulge for now. "Like I said before, let's see what happens after Beau gets the saloon open. Then, if they haven't made any progress, we'll see what we can do about gettin' them together."

"I think that's a good idea, Ben. Let things settle down a little bit."

' _And hope they work things out themselves,'_ Ben thought.


	18. The Next Step

Chapter 17 – The Next Step

 _Dear Bart – I was gonna write this letter to your father, but I realized it should really go to you, as the head of both the ranch and the family. Somewhere along the years, you grew up and turned into a fine man and businessman, and it was obvious to me when we were there that you are, indeed, the man in charge._

 _I've been in Baton Rouge for about seven years and thought that I was happy here; and, for the most part, I was. But Baton Rouge is not home, and it's never gonna be. I miss Little Bend; I miss my brother and my nephews and the life that the Mavericks have there. I know, my son and daughter-in-law are here in Louisiana, but it's not the same. My presence here complicates Beau's life, and not in a good way. So I'm writing to ask you a favor._

 _I'd like to know if there's enough land on the ranch to build another small house, preferably close to Beauregard's. If I'm a lucky man, I'll be returning to Little Bend and bringing someone real special with me._

 _Please don't say anything to Beauregard about this, as I have a lot of loose ends to clean up even if your answer is yes. I would imagine that it would be two or three months before I could make the trip. Also, if you could inquire and see if the school is going to be needing another teacher anytime soon, it would be much appreciated._

 _And Bart, if there isn't enough room for another house, I will understand._

 _As Always, Your Uncle_

 _Bentley_

Ben read the letter over two or three times before he was satisfied with it. He decided now was the time to write, because he needed to know if there was a place for him or not. He hadn't talked it over with Ellie but he thought he would ask about a teacher anyway, in case she said yes and moved with him.

He picked Beau up on Friday, as agreed, and had lunch with his son. Beau seemed awfully quiet and didn't have much to say, and Ben finally asked him if the situation with Dani was any better. "Sort of, Pa. I keep tryin' to talk to her about everything but she doesn't seem real interested in makin' things any better."

"Maybe she just needs more time, Beau."

"I suppose."

"You gotta give it to her, son."

"I know, Pa. I'm tryin'."

"When does the Lady open?"

"Next Friday."

"You mind if I come?"

"Of course not. Why would I?"

Ben laughed as he lit a cigar. "Just checkin', Beau. Just checkin."

The Gilded Lady opened the following week, as promised, and Beau seemed to be in a better mood. Ben didn't get much of a chance to talk to him on opening night, so he came back a day or two later and found his son in the office designed for 'the boss.'

"How are things goin'?"

"Better than before, Pa. Dani still doesn't talk to me much, but she doesn't yell at me anymore. And Abby is doin' better."

"Well, that's somethin' at least."

"Yeah, it is. I just wish things could be like they were before. I'm not sure if they ever will be again."

When Ben picked up Ellie from school that afternoon, she could tell that things still weren't the way they were supposed to be. "Remember the plan I told you about?"

"I do."

"I think we're gonna have to give it a try. The situation with Beau and Dani isn't progressing."

Ellie nodded. "Sometimes people just need a little shove to get them back on track."

Ben laughed. "I think it's time to shove."

XXXXXXXX

The next time Ben saw Beau was several days later. "Beau, Ellie and me would like for you and Dani to have dinner with us next week. Do you think the two of you could do that?"

Beau had just finished telling his father that Dani had slipped back into her old habit of not talking. "What good is that gonna do, Pa?"

"I think . . . I think it could help."

Beau sighed. "Alright, if it'll make you happy. When?"

"Two weeks from tonight. We'll pick you up at six o'clock."

"I'll do my best."

Ben met Ellie at the school and informed her he'd finally asked Beau his question, and he'd gotten an affirmative answer. "We're gonna take them to supper in two weeks. Can you do what we talked about?"

"Of course, Ben. Do you think it will work?"

"I think so. Once Dani sees that everything's back to normal, I think she'll start to come around."

XXXXXXXX

Ellie was a busy lady for the next two weeks, putting Ben's plan into effect. She visited each and every one of the ladies at the First Congregational Church, and explained that 'the gambler' had moved out of the Maverick house and wouldn't be returning, so there was no reason for Dani to remain ostracized from the church and school committees. One by one they agreed with her and came to the conclusion that it was time to invite Mrs. Maverick back into the groups she'd been evicted from. By the time Ben and Ellie stopped at the Maverick house to pick up Dani and Beau, all seemed to be right with the world again. Dani had been contacted by the committee heads and reinstated to her former positions. The ladies explained that they'd made ill-advised decisions and wanted to make amends.

Beau was suspicious of the whole thing at first, but Dani appeared so happy that he wasn't about to do anything to upset her frame of mind. She actually seemed like her old self; she even apologized to Ben for all the grief she'd caused him. The four of them had a lovely dinner, and Ben was whistling as he drove Ellie home.

"You are certainly in a better mood than you've been in for a while, Mr. Maverick. I take it that can be attributed to the state of your son's marriage?"

"Among other things. I think they're gonna be alright now."

"It certainly sounded like it. Dani's happy, so Beau's happy."

They drove further on and were almost to Mrs. Bradley's when Ben pulled the buggy up in front of the Lodge. "I know it's not the proper thing for a lady to be found in a gentleman's hotel room, but I have some things to tell you about, and I'd like them to be in private. Do you think you can make an exception and come up to my room? I'll leave the door open if you want."

"Ben Maverick, if I don't trust you by now we've got a real problem. Of course I'll come up."

Ben tied the horse up to the hitching rail and helped Ellie down from the buggy. He'd lived at the Lodge for over two months and it was the first time Ellie had ever seen his room. He opened the door and offered her a chair in the sitting room, then left the door open. "Ben, there's no need for that. Close the door."

He did as requested and sat next to her. "I have something that I've been mullin' over for a couple months, and if you'll bear with me, I'd like to explain it to you."


	19. The Promise

Chapter 18 – The Promise

"I've told you all about the Mavericks in Texas, and about the B Bar M Ranch. What I haven't told you is that I wrote to my nephew Bart right after I moved into the Lodge. I asked him if there was enough room on the ranch to build another house, preferably close to my brother. I asked him somethin' else, too, but that will be explained in his answer. I got it today."

Ben handed Ellie the letter he'd received.

 _Dear Uncle Ben – You don't know how happy I was to hear from you. Pappy talks about you constantly and will be so glad that you want to come home. Not only is there enough land to build you a house, we're almost done with it. So you can't change your mind now. It's right next door to Pappy's and is almost a duplicate of his._

 _I checked with the school board, and they have decided to expand the school next year so they will be needing another teacher. I hope your inquiry means what I think it means. Please tell the lady in question that we will be happy to welcome her to Texas (and the Maverick family), and I'm so glad you have someone in your life._

 _Just let me know when to meet the stage, and we'll all be there to greet you._

 _Can't wait to have you home, your nephew,_

 _Bart_

"My goodness. That was quite a letter."

Ben nodded. "Yes, it was. You have a home and a job waiting for you, if you'll go."

"Ben . . . "

"That's not all, Ellie. You must know by now how I feel about you. I don't want to go back to Texas without you. And I understand that you'd be going to a new place with all new folks, and I don't want you worrying about anything. What I'm tryin' to say is, Ellie Harris, would you marry me and go to Texas with me?"

"Oh, Ben. Of course I'll marry you. And remember, I lived in Houston, so I've some idea of what Texas is like."

"I didn't know if you'd want to go back or not."

"Ben, I . . . I'd go anywhere with you."

"Beau doesn't know yet, but I've been thinking about this for quite a while."

"That's why you had to get Beau and Dani back together."

Ben nodded, wanting to tell Ellie all the things he couldn't until they were reunited. "Yes. I couldn't leave here until I knew they were alright. Now at least I'm sure they still love each other."

"What if I'd said no?"

"I can't lie to you . . . I'd have gone anyway. I can't stay here. I miss Little Bend too much."

"When do you want to go?"

"That's up to you. We have to pack, and you have to tell the school board and Mrs. Bradley that you're leaving. And there's that small matter of gettin' married."

"Wouldn't you rather wait and get married in Texas? That way your brother could be your best man."

Ben chuckled at the thought. "I want whatever you want. We'll get married when you wanna get married."

"When are you going to tell Beau? And Abby? Poor dear, I wish we could take her with us."

"I guess I should tell Beau before we do anything else. If I don't . . ."

"It's going to be hard on him, Ben. You have to let him know sooner rather than later."

Ben stood and extended his hand, helping Ellie to her feet and into his arms. "I have to get you home. Mrs. Bradley will be frantic if I don't." Ben gave her a long, lingering kiss before whispering, "I was so worried you wouldn't say yes."

"You had nothing to worry about."

XXXXXXXX

Two days later Ben went to see his son at the land office. "How are things goin'? Tryin' to run both businesses, I mean?"

Beau looked tired but happy. "Actually, pretty well. It helps when you have employees that know what they're doin."

"And you're not havin' any trouble at home?" Ben held his breath. His whole future was riding on his son's answer.

"Not a bit. Dani's got plenty to keep her busy, between all her committee's and gettin' ready for the baby. And she seems happy again. But I sure miss you."

"Beau . . . I have news that you won't like hearin'."

It didn't take long for Beau's expression to change. "Pa . . . you're leavin', aren't you?"

"I'm going back home, son."

"Back to Little Bend?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

Ben hesitated. "Sometime soon."

"How long have you known, Pa?"

There was a tone of accusation in his son's voice, and Ben felt guilty for not telling Beau sooner. "I've known that I missed bein' there for a while, but I wasn't sure that I needed to go until just recently. I wanted to be sure you and Dani were good before I made a final decision."

"Are you goin' alone?"

Ben shook his head. "Nope. Ellie's goin' with me. And Beau . . . "

"Yeah, Pa?"

"I asked her to marry me."

"I think it's about time. I was gettin' worried about you."

"I think we're gonna wait until we're in Texas before we get married."

Beau rose from his desk and walked to the window, his back turned to Ben. He wasn't surprised that his father wanted to get married in Little Bend; it was just another in a long string of disappointments he'd been handed today. He'd suspected for a long time that his father missed Little Bend and his brother Beauregard more than he let on, and most of the moves Bentley made during the past two months pointed in that direction. Beau kept hoping he was wrong; now he knew he hadn't been. He sighed and turned back to his Pa, forcing a smile onto his face.

"I'm happy for you, Pa. I know you weren't thrilled when we left Texas, and I'm glad you figured that out. I'm really pleased about Ellie, too. She's a fine lady, and you make each other happy. I'm just now workin' it out, Pa, that's all that really counts. Love and family, and not much else. I hope you two will stay that way; God knows you've been alone too long." Beau drifted over in his father's direction and gave him a big hug. "I just want you to be happy, Pa, just like you want for me."

Ben held on to his son just a minute longer. "I love you, Beau; you're a fine man."

"Me too, Pa, me too. Promise you'll come see me again before you go."

"I promise, Beauregard."


	20. Arriving in Texas

Chapter 19 – Arriving in Texas

Two weeks later Ben and Ellie were ready to make the trip to Little Bend. Ben sold the buggy and horse, and Beau, Dani and Abby came to pick them up and take them to the stage depot. There were tears all around and goodbyes were said, then the bags were loaded and Ben and Ellie climbed on board. They were the only two passengers, so they had plenty of room to stretch out. Ben was sad to be leaving his son and granddaughter; he still had ambivalent feelings about his daughter-in-law. Ellie was excited and could hardly contain herself. The trip was as long as Ben remembered it, and he was glad when they reached the final day of the journey.

It was almost a repeat of the last arrival, only this time Ben exited the coach first. He barely got a booted foot on the ground when he was swept into the embrace of his older brother. "Beauregard, I can't breathe," he finally gasped, and Beauregard turned him loose. Everyone got silent, and Ben held out his hand and helped Ellie out. "Everyone, this is my fiancé, Mrs. Elsibeth Harris, otherwise known as Ellie. Ellie, this beast is my brother Beauregard and his wife Maude, his oldest son Bret and his wife Ginny, his youngest son Bart and his wife Doralice, and my grandson Benny."

"Goodness, there are so many," Ellie laughed.

"Oh, Ellie, you haven't met any of our babies yet," Doralice teased her. "Me and Bart's got five, and Bret and Ginny's got three. And that's not counting the foals!"

"We're so happy to meet you, Ellie," Ginny added.

"And I'm so happy to be out of that coach," Ellie replied. "I was about ready to ask the driver if I could ride shotgun!"

Bret, Bart and Benny began loading the bags into the wagon, and Ben and Ellie were seated in the buggy. Beauregard took the reins and turned to his brother. There were tears in his eyes. "Damn, Ben, it sure is good to have you back. And we're all tickled that you brought Ellie with you!"

"I'm a two-for-one, Beauregard. A new Maverick woman and a new schoolteacher rolled into one. Would you rather I called you Beauregard or Beau?"

"Either one's fine, darlin'."

Maude grabbed Ellie's hand. "Just smack him when he gets fresh like that. Old coot thinks he can talk any way he pleases!"

The women laughed, and Benny joined his grandfather in the buggy when the luggage was loaded. "You sure brought an awful lot of stuff, grandpa."

"We had to, Benny. We brought everything we owned."

Benny turned his attention to Elsibeth. "Ma'am, should I call you Mrs. Harris?"

"Oh, no, Benny, just call me Ellie. Besides, it won't be Mrs. Harris for very long."

"How soon you wanna get married, Ben?" Beau asked.

"How about yesterday?" Ben replied.

"I'd swear he's in a hurry," Ellie laughed.

"I am," Ben agreed.

"Well, at least you've got a house to move into," Benny assured his grandfather.

"You mean it's done already?"

"Of course it's done. You didn't think we'd let you get here with nowhere to sleep, did you? What kind of a brother would I be?"

"It's only got bare bones furniture," Ginny explained."We wanted you to furnish it the way you wanted, not our idea of what you'd want. So the first thing that needs to be done is to complete the insides . . . beddings, curtains . . . dishes, pots and pans, anything else you need. Then we can work on a wedding dress."

"You and Ben can go take a honeymoon, and when you come back we'll have the house decorated. Then you can settle in and enjoy each other . . .oh my." Doralice turned about six shades of bright red when she realized what she'd said.

"You're a fine one to talk," Maude laughed so hard she almost choked. "You've already got five kids."

"So what you ladies are sayin' is we can't get married tomorrow. Or even yesterday," Ben interpreted.

"That's right, Ben, we need at least a week. Think you can wait that long?" Ginny asked in all seriousness.

"I think so," Ben replied, "but not much longer."

"I think a week will be just fine," Ellie replied. "And we do appreciate everything that y'all have done."

Beau pulled the horses to a halt and turned to face Ellie. "We'd have done anything to get Ben to come home. You made it a lot easier, knowin' he had somebody that cared about him to bring with him."

When they got to the ranch, Ellie was almost overwhelmed. "It's so . . . gigantic. My goodness. The houses and the barns, and all the enclosures for the horses. I never in my wildest dreams . . . Ben, you told me it was a 'small ranch.' This sure isn't small."

"Blame my boys for that," Beau told her. "Bart had the idea and he and Bret got it built. You'll find a smaller house up to the north of the buildings, that belongs to Pauly Wilcox. We've kind of adopted Pauly; he's the man that's gotten it all built. Him and Doralice have a business, creatin' and buildin' things, like fresh water pumped right into the kitchen sink. You have any kind of ideas, you take 'em to Doralice and her and Pauly makes 'em real."

"It all sounds wonderful, like a creative place to be."

"It is, Ellie. We raise chickens, guarded by a cat that thinks the chicks belong to her; and we've got hounds everywhere that treat the cats like their babies. Everybody gets along here. That's not to say that we're perfect, because we aren't. But we try to get along with each other, so that it stays peaceful. We've had some rough times, but we've gotten through 'em all." Doralice tried to explain the B Bar M to Ellie.

"We're not that much different from other ranches. It's just that there's so many of us. Wait until you meet all the children. And Lily Mae. Lily Mae is the real head of everything," Ginny added, and everybody in the buggy agreed.

A few minutes later Beauregard pulled the buggy up in front of Bart's house, and Maude explained. "You two can stay here until you come back from your honeymoon. By then your house will be done and you can move right in. And brace yourself . . . all the little ones will be out in a minute."

Ben got out of the buggy and helped Ellie out. Her feet had no sooner touched the ground than she and Ben were surrounded, and Ben tried to introduce everybody. "Alright, alright, everybody line up." They did, from the oldest to the youngest, and Ben began. "Everyone, this is Mrs. Harris, Ellie to you, and she is gonna be my wife, just like Aunt Maude is Grandpa Beau's wife. Okay, Ellie, this is Benny, my grandson, you've met him. These are the twins, Maudie and Belle, they belong to Bart and Doralice, then Beauregard and Breton, and little Lily. Then we have Grace, Bret's princess, followed by Bartley and Bodeen. And the woman that's Grandma to 'em all, Lilly Mae Conners. Lily Mae, this is my fiancé, Ellie Harris."

Ellie and Lily Mae embraced, and with a big smile on her face, Ellie whispered, "Bless you, Lily Mae. How do you do it?"

Lily Mae laughed and answered, "Fear and intimidation." And Ellie laughed with her.

XXXXXXXX

Two hours later Ellie came back downstairs, having gotten all unpacked in the guestroom. Lily was waiting for her with a big glass of lemonade. "The ladies are on the front porch, sippin' lemonade and tryin' to figure out what colors you'll like. The men are all down at Bret's house, smokin' cigars and drinkin' coffee, and they don't care what colors you'll like. I have somethin' stronger that we can put in the lemonade if you'd like. Several of the ladies do."

"No, thank you, Lily Mae, this will be fine for now. I'll drink after the wedding."

"Well, head on out to the porch, then. They're all waitin' for ya."

"Thank you."

Ellie took the lemonade and headed for the front porch. As predicted, there was a rocking chair right in the middle of everything, with a stack of fabric on it. Ellie picked up the fabric and set it in her lap, sitting down herself in the rocker. "You ladies have quite a selection here," she remarked.

"We just kept coming up with fabric that we thought you might like," Maude explained.

"This is lovely for a sofa . . . and I like this for chairs. And this would be beautiful in our bedroom." And that's the way the newest member of the Maverick women's group spent her first afternoon in Little Bend, Texas.


	21. Florence

Chapter 20 – Florence

The Maverick men, excluding Benny, were out in Bret's backyard smoking cigars. Beauregard, Bentley, and Bret were sitting in chairs, Bart and Benny were leaning against the back porch rails. They'd talked about a variety of subjects that ranged from poker to the new crop of foals to the upcoming wedding. Beauregard had already agreed to be Ben's best man, and Bret was trying to get his uncle to explain just what had prompted him to go looking for a wife. "I really wasn't, you know, looking for a wife. I was looking for a companion, somebody to talk to, take to dinner, or to the theatre, and I asked Dani to introduce me to a widow lady from church. She was always tellin' me there were so many of 'em around just lookin' for a man, but Ellie was the finest lookin' lady of the bunch. We just seemed to hit it off. She was tall and athletic and was willing to do things without three weeks of planning. She wasn't stuck in the same old rut, and I figured I'd ask her out.

"We made each other laugh and had similar backgrounds. I really enjoyed her company. She was bright and well-educated and we seemed to be interested in most of the same things, and she didn't act like an old lady. She was fun, and the more we saw of each other, the more we enjoyed bein' around each other. Then I started thinkin' about comin' home to Little Bend, and I couldn't see comin' home without her. When I asked Bart to see if there might be a school position open, I knew I was gonna ask her to come with me."

"Seems like you made a fine choice, Uncle Ben," Bret remarked. "Sure happy to see you with somebody."

"That's what I told him in my letter," Bart followed up, "that I was happy he'd found somebody."

"Bout time," his grandson added. "Abby and me was always tryin' to get him to go out and meet a lady. He's too young to sit in the house all the time."

"She'll keep him busy. And if she doesn't, we will," Bart insisted.

Cigars finished, Bret and Bart headed towards the stream to talk over a business matter that just wouldn't wait. Benny made his way back into the house, and the original set of Maverick brothers found themselves sitting alone on the back porch. Beauregard grabbed Bentley's wrist and held on as tight as he could. Ben stared at Beau, surprised to feel such a grip. "Don't you ever leave here again, Ben."

"Beau . . ."

"I miss you too damn much. I almost got on the stage and went back to Baton Rouge with you. We spent so many years with each other, travelin' around the country, that I felt like my arm had been cut off. You are gonna stay here in Texas, aren't ya?"

"Yes, sir, I'm stayin' in Texas. Right here on this ranch." Ben was certain about that.

"Good. Good. I'm too old and too tired to be runnin' around this country anywhere. I'm happy to hear you say it."

"That makes two of us. I found me a good woman that makes me happy, and we ain't goin' nowhere."

"Are you sure your bride-to-be feels the same way?"

Ben didn't hesitate. "She's got a daughter that lives in Houston. I don't think she'll want to leave."

"Oh my God . . . I didn't know that. (yells) Bret! Come here, Bret!"

"What's that all about, Beauregard?"

Bret came running up the hill, and his father questioned him. "Do you still have that telegram you got last week? The one from Florence Hilliard?"

"Yeah, Pappy, right here," and he pulled it out of his coat pocket.

 _To Maverick Family: Will be arriving on Sunday, April 8, with two boys, Ellie Harris' grandsons. Please pick us up at Wells Fargo Stage Coach Depot. Florence Hilliard._

"Oh, dear. This has got to be Ellie's daughter and grandsons. And the eighth is tomorrow. Ellie never said a word to me," Ben told his brother and nephew.

"Ellie might not know," Bart interjected. "Uncle Ben, you better go find out."

Ben took the telegram and hurried through Bret's house, across the back yard, then through Bart's house. As soon as he got to the front door of Bart's place, he called Ellie aside and showed her the telegram. "Oh, dear. This must be from Florence. She just assumed everybody knew about the wedding. Florence! My darling girl! I'm so sorry, I had no idea! I'll get this straightened out as soon as she gets here. They'll just have to stay in Little Bend."

Ginny popped up and put an end to that. "They will not stay in Little Bend. We have more than enough room for them. How old are the boys?"

"Jimmy is fourteen and Lonnie is ten. They're good boys, this isn't their fault."

"Don't worry about it, Ellie. We've got a spare room at our house with bunk beds in it. They can stay with us."

"And Florence can stay with us. We've got an extra bed," Doralice explained.

"You all are so kind and considerate. I'm sorry to cause so much trouble."

Ben started laughing, and Ellie gave him a funny look. "So much trouble? After everything, Dani put us through? This is no trouble, this is a piece of cake!" he insisted.

"There's only two coaches that come in tomorrow," Bret had followed Ben to Bart's front porch, and he supplied the information. "The first ones at one o'clock in the afternoon. The second one arrives at three thirty. I don't know which one is the Houston coach, so we'll be there for the one o'clock stage. If it's the three thirty coach, we'll have an early supper in town and wait for the second coach. Me and Bart and Ellie and Ben can take the double buggy, that way we won't overwhelm her or the boys. We'll have our big dinner tomorrow night, and Florence won't ever know that we almost missed her."

Ben tried to put a bright light on the whole thing. "Look at it this way, honey, your daughter and grandsons will be there for the wedding. That's a good thing. And it'll give her a chance to get to know everybody, and for everybody to know her. And she can be your matron of honor. That will be wonderful."

Ellie shook her head. "This wedding's getting to be too big."

Ben grabbed her hand. "No, it isn't! We're only gonna do this once!"


	22. The Conspiracy

Chapter 22 – The Conspiracy

They were both old-fashioned enough to abide by the rule of bride and groom not seeing each other the night before the wedding. So the first glimpse they had was when Ellie walked down the aisle escorted by her grandsons; while Ben stood next to his brother in front of the minister. "Didn't we just do this?" Beauregard asked.

"Sort of," was Ben's reply. He was surprised he could get any words out at all; he couldn't believe how beautiful she was. Ellie's long, dark hair was woven into a thick braid, then wrapped around her head in a French Knot. Her dress was floor length pink silk, and she wore a short pink veil held in place by a flower tiara. She carried a single rose in her left hand.

Her groom wore a light blue frock coat, with a matching vest and cream pants. His shirt was cream and his tie light blue. And the expression on his face careened recklessly somewhere between ecstasy and terror.

Neither was sure how long the ceremony lasted. They remembered saying 'I do' to something, and exchanging rings. And they were both aware when the minister announced: "You may kiss your bride."

There were kisses and hugs all around; Ben later recalled getting several from Ellie herself. Lunch was served, along with the wedding cake. When the meal was over, Ben and Ellie took the buggy and drove into Little Bend, where they spent the night in the Bridal Suite at the Little Bend Royal Hotel.

Late the next day the newlyweds returned to the ranch. They changed clothes, filled their saddlebags, left for three days, and went camping in the high desert. By the time they returned, Florence and the boys had been assimilated into the Maverick family. And a good portion of the decorating of the new house had been completed.

Ben and Ellie entered the front room of their home to find Maude, Doralice and Florence hanging the last of the curtains in that room. "My goodness, you ladies certainly are quick. We were only gone four days."

"We had to be quick, Ben. You and momma weren't going to be gone that long, and you needed a place to come back to," Florence explained.

"The bedroom is lovely," Ellie remarked. "Go take a look at it, Ben. Everyone's done a fantastic job."

"You don't know how grateful we are," Ben called over his shoulder as he entered the bedroom. Ellie was right . . . the room was lovely, without being too feminine. When the place was built, Pauly Wilcox made sure he'd included generous size closets in the main bedroom, and Ben was tickled to see all his suits hung neatly in his. Taking a peek in Ellie's closet, he was dismayed to find she had far fewer dresses than he had suits. If she was going to keep teaching, he wanted her to have pretty dresses to wear, and he made up his mind to do something about it.

There was a fresh pitcher of lemonade in the kitchen, and Ben insisted the ladies sit down and enjoy a glass. Ellie excused herself for a few minutes to finish unpacking, and it afforded Ben the opportunity he wanted. "Florence, has your mother always been so . . . frugal with her clothing?"

"Frugal?"

"Maybe I used the wrong word. She doesn't have much in the way of dresses to wear to school."

Florence nodded. "That's the way she's always been. She can usually find something she needs more than clothes. And that's where her money goes."

"Then I need to know some things. What colors does she like, and what colors doesn't she like? Is there somewhere I can buy her clothes, or do I need to have them made? And how do I know what will fit her?"

Doralice had been paying close attention to the conversation. "I can help you with some of that. She doesn't like yellow, but she does like all shades of blue. She told us that when we were going through the fabric for the furniture."

Maude remembered something, too. "Pink, yes – Peach, no. And Ben – there's a seamstress in town who makes beautiful dresses."

"I'll take one of her dresses. Then we can get it to the lady in town." Florence smiled, and Ben was grateful for her help. They'd just gone back to drinking their lemonade when Ellie returned.

"Did I miss anything interesting?" she asked.

"No, not really," Maude told her. "We were just talking about the dinner on Friday."

"What dinner on Friday?" Ellie asked.

"I forgot . . . you were gone. We're havin' a dinner on Friday at our house. Kind of a welcome home, happy marriage get-together. There are some folks in Little Bend that you should meet – like Dave Parker, Simon and Althea Petry, Carey Milburn, and two or three other council members. Bart, Bret, and Beauregard thought it would be better to have the dinner at our house rather than in town somewhere. It will be fun." Doralice was looking forward to it.

Ellie shivered. "Fun? I don't think so."

Ben leaned over and put his arm around her. "Why not? You're so comfortable around people."

"It's an act, Bentley. I'm not comfortable at all."

"I would never have known if you hadn't told me." Ben felt bad that the family had planned something that would make Ellie ill at ease. And he felt even worse that there was something so important about his new bride; and he hadn't known about it. Maybe it would boost her confidence and make her feel better if she had a new dress to wear. They had to see if there was enough time to get a one made for the occasion. Ben looked across the table at Florence, and she smiled. It appeared she was thinking the same thing.

"Come on, everybody, supper should be just about ready. Let's go eat," Doralice tried to round up everyone to head to her house.

They'd all started for the door when Florence went running back into the bedroom. "I left my sweater," she called, "I'll catch up with you."

And the conspiracy was underway.


	23. Out in the Wild

Chapter 23 – Out in the Wild

Ben remained calm and collected all week, even though there had been no word from the dressmaker, Sherri Stroud. At least, Ben had heard nothing from her. Maude took the dress that Florence had borrowed from Ellie's closet and commissioned four dresses; three to be done by the end of the week. All different styles, but the same size. One of them was made in deep blue and was a dress for special occasions. On Thursday afternoon Florence and Doralice went to Little Bend for 'supplies,' and when they returned, Ben hurried to Doralice's' house to pick up the dresses. Ellie, meanwhile, joined Florence and Maude at Ginny's house to make pies for dinner that evening.

The newlywed hung the four dresses in Ellie's closet and then made a pot of coffee. Benny and Maudie dropped by to talk for a while, and after they left Ben went down to the barn to check on Papa's Boy and spent almost an hour grooming him. When he finished, it was time to get ready for tonight's dinner, and he expected to hear Ellie any minute.

She was a little later than he had anticipated, and he was in the living room reading yesterday's paper when she finally got home. "You got enough time to get ready for tonight?" he asked innocently, and she replied quickly, "I'm sure I do."

He heard her steps go down the hall and stop just about where her closet sat. The closet door opened, then all was dead silent, and Ben was afraid she was displeased with the dresses. It was almost ten minutes later when she came back down the hallway, quiet as a mouse. The beautiful blue dress fit her perfectly and accented her eyes. Her hair was long and pulled back from her face, and she wore tiny silver earrings and a necklace to match. She was stunning. Ben's breath caught in his throat as she walked straight into his arms and kissed him.

"I don't know how you did it, or even why. This is the prettiest thing I've ever seen; even prettier than my wedding dress. How did you know . . . ?"

"The day we moved in you left your closet door open. I want you to have nice things; you deserve them. There's a fourth dress coming, but she couldn't get it done by today. All of the ladies were in on it, they thought it was a fine idea. Do you really like them?"

"Oh, Ben, they're just beautiful. What did I ever do to deserve you?"

He swung her around and kissed her, then pulled her towards the door. "Come on, it's time for me to show off my beautiful bride!"

XXXXXXXX

As always, the food was outstanding, and the conversation touched on almost every subject. Ellie really liked Simon and Althea Petry, and she was surprised to learn that Althea and Bret were an item at one time. "Did you know that?" she asked her husband.

"Yes," Ben answered very quietly.

"There's more to this, isn't there?"

"Yes," Ben answered. "Beauregard almost died because of it."

"Will you explain it to me when we're at home?"

"I will."

Ellie then spent some time with Dave Parker and Bart, and learned a lot about the sheriff and her new nephew. Ben joined the conversation, and the three of them made her laugh so hard that her sides hurt. She liked Dave, he wasn't like any sheriff she'd ever known, and she fell in love with Bart, who showed considerable amounts of affection for his Uncle Ben. When Bart was called away, Bret joined them. He had as good a sense of humor as his brother, but he was different somehow, less sober about life and more concerned about Beauregard and Bentley's health. And then there was Beauregard or Pappy as he was widely known. He seemed so happy and joyous to have his younger brother home. He smiled a lot and teased Ben about being a newlywed, even though he and Maude had only been married about six months themselves. Ellie was amazed by the closeness and affection between the two sets of brothers and understood why Ben had missed being in Little Bend so much.

Before they left, Simon and Althea invited both sets of senior Mavericks to dinner at their house in town in two weeks, and all had accepted. Everyone complimented Ellie on her beautiful blue dress, and she spent some time helping to clean up and hearing about the evolution of the gown. She felt so accepted into the family and was sure that she'd made the right choice when she agreed to marry Ben.

They walked home with his arm around her shoulder, and she was certain that their life here would be happy and blessed. "Tomorrow we can go into Little Bend and stock up on supplies, pick up your dress, and have lunch while we're there. I'll help you with a grocery list in the morning, and we can check with Lily Mae, too. Do you mind if we have a cat or two in the house?"

"To avoid mice?"

"Exactly. We'll probably have a hound livin' with us, too, long as that won't bother you."

"Not a bit, Ben. I love dogs, and I surely see the need for cats. Whoever wants to come indoors with us is welcome. As long as I don't find a blue roan foal in our living room."

"Don't worry, darlin', the horses hafta stay outside. No matter how cold it gets." Ellie turned her head to show him she was laughing, and she found him laughing, too. It was in that moment that they both knew whatever time they had together was going to be filled with joy and mirth and that even though they were living out in the wild, they were destined to be happy.

The End


End file.
